From the Mouth of Babes
by Eli
Summary: Six yr. old child + Highly trained assassin = One very long baby sitting job.
1. Default Chapter

Title: From The Mouths Of Babes  
  
Author: The lyrical Eli  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Summery: What do assassins know about children? Um, the little girl might seem a bit different than what you are used to, but please keep in mind of youth and how much you out grow certain things.  
  
Disclaimer: Me? Own witchblade? *Falls off seat laughing.*  
It had been an uneventful day for Ian until Irons called him to his office. When he arrived, someone was already in there. He waited for Irons to call him in. Through the door, he could hear the whole conversation. The man Irons was discussing with sounded very nervous and very angry.  
  
"Kenneth, they attacked my home! They took my wife!"  
  
"I understand that, Jacob, but we can not just barge in on their activities. I will be dealing with this personally. Please calm yourself down."  
  
"All right. I apologize, Kenneth."  
  
"Fine, but we must leave immediately."  
  
"But my daughter?"  
  
"I have already arranged something. Ian, come in here."  
  
Ian did as he was told and entered the room. Irons and Jacob were both standing and were preparing to leave.  
  
"Ian, this man is Jacob Carver. He will be accompanying me out of the country for a few days. Meanwhile, you will stay here and protect his daughter. She will be staying here at the estate until we return, and since the staff is no longer here, the girl's care is in your hands. Do you understand what you must do?" He asked seriously.  
  
"Yes, Sir." He replied instantly. Irons nodded to Jacob and they left the room. He followed the men out, down the stairs, and into the hallway.  
  
Standing in the hallway was a small child, no more than six years old. She was dressed in blue overalls with pinkish purple butterflies with a matching shirt. She had two bags with her and a back pack she had over her shoulders. Her black hair was in two pigtails.  
  
"Father, are we going now?" She asked as he passed her. He shook his head at her. He kneeled down to be at her level.  
  
"No, Dear. I must go get your mother back. You're going to have to stay here a few days. This man over here will take care of you." His daughter looked behind him at Ian. Jacob patted her head. "I'll be back soon." He got up and nodded at Irons. The two of them then left the mansion, Jacob slamming the door behind them.  
  
She watched her Father leave. The little girl's lip was trembling. She didn't like the idea of being left alone here, especially with the tall, dark man.  
  
Ian walked up to the little child. She nearly fell over trying to look up at his face. She was barely half his height. He bent over a little so that she wouldn't have so much trouble. She looked up into his eyes, a task not many people could stand to do.  
  
"Are you gonna be my baby-sitter?" She asked, a bit fearfully. This man was alot bigger than her and could definitely could hurt her.  
  
"I guess, if that is what you call it. I am not sure. I simply know that I am to take care of you while you are here." He answered, trying to use a lesser vocabulary so that she would understand. She nodded.  
  
"So what's your name?" She asked curiously. Ian felt that he would have to get used to answering questions all the time.  
  
"My name is Ian Nottingham." He answered.  
  
"What do I call you?" She asked. She started rocking on her feet.  
  
"You can call me Ian." She nodded her head.  
  
"Okay." She answered. She rocked a little too far back on her heels and fell over. Ian was worried she would begin to cry, but instead she began to laugh. She got up, still laughing, and brushed the dirt off her bottom.  
  
This was an odd little girl. That's when he realized that he was only referring to her as 'girl'. This would not work if she was staying for a few days. "What is your name?"  
  
"My name is Eliza Amelie Morgan Carver." She said grandly, even adding a little curtsey at the end. "But everyone calls me Eli." Then she stood up straight and stuck out her tongue at him. She laughed at the look he gave her.  
  
'It is going to be a very long next couple of days.' Ian thought to himself. 


	2. Chapter Two

Ian decided that he needed to get her settled into a bedroom. He picked up her two bags that were lying on the ground.  
  
"Hey!" Eli shouted. "What are you doing to my bags?" She asked.  
  
"Calm down, I am only taking them to your room." Eli shut her mouth and nodded.  
  
"Oh, sorry." She mumbled out.  
  
"It is all right. Follow me." He began walking toward one of the vacant rooms.  
  
The walk to the room took ten more minutes than it should have. Not only did Ian have to slow down so that Eli could keep up, but he also learned she had a short attention span. He had to stop every few minutes to keep her from going into other rooms, climbing on the furniture, and from taking things, especially weapons, off the wall.  
  
She followed him into a small room that looked ancient. The main color was red and it had tapestries on the walls. He put her bags on the floor, making dust rise. She sneezed from the dust. "This place is old."  
  
"No one has occupied this room for a long time, but this is one of the safer rooms and it is only across the hall from my room, so I can hear if something happens to you." Eli stopped exploring the room and looked at him.  
  
"What do you mean if something happens to me?" She asked worriedly. "Is something going to happen to me?" Her lower lip trembled and she was on the verge of tears.  
  
Ian sighed and sat down on the bed. He motioned for her to sit next to him. She jumped onto the big bed. She landed with a huge bounce. She smiled for a second and then began to bounce up and down on the bed. Ian stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.  
  
"Sit down." He told her. She stopped bouncing and sat down. "Did your father tell you why he brought you here?"  
  
Eli nodded. "He said that the man here could get mommy back."  
  
"And what happened to your mother?" Ian asked. Eli put her head down and mumbled  
  
"The bad men got her when they attacked this morning." She was on the verge of tears again.  
  
"The truth is, Eli, the same men might try to come for you, too. You were brought here so that I can protect you from these men. So while you are here, you must be very careful. Do you understand?" She nodded her head.  
  
"The bad men are gonna come and try to kill me." She said sullenly, trying not to cry.  
  
Ian grimaced at thought of a small child screaming her lungs out. He had to keep her from doing so. And the way this all made her so upset activated a parental soft spot in him. He found he really didn't want her upset or worried her whole time here. If possible, he wanted her to enjoy herself.  
  
"Do not worry." He told her. She turned her head to look at him. "As long as you are here, no harm will come to you. I will protect you."  
  
She looked at him suspiciously. "Promise?" She asked.  
  
"Promise." He assured her.  
  
She still looked at him suspiciously. "Pinky promise?"  
  
He looked at her with confusion. That made her laugh and blink away any tears that were threatening to fall. "Here, like this."  
  
She held up his left hand and connected his pinky with hers. "Now shake." They shook on it. Eli nodded to the agreement.  
  
They were quiet for two minutes when Eli turned to him again. "Is there food here?" She asked as she rubbed her stomach. "Cause I have a rumbly in my tummy."  
  
He nodded and started leading her to the kitchen. This time he took her by the hand so that she would not stall the trip any longer than necessary.  
  
When they got to the kitchen, he pulled up a stool from the corner so that she could at the counter. When she climbed onto the stool, they discovered that she barely reached the edge of the counter. Ian had her get off so that he could place a few books on top of the seat. She sat back down, but she began to sway on the seats. She jumped off and books tumbled over after her. Eli then just used the stool to climb onto the counter and sat down cross-legged on the top of the counter.  
  
"What would you like to eat?" He asked her. Eli put her elbows on her knees and held her head up with her fists as she thought. He waited patiently for her to answer. Ten minutes later, she answered.  
  
"Celery, and peanut butter, and grilled cheese sandwich, and a glass of milk." She said. A minute later, she sat up. "Oh, celery, and peanut butter, and grilled cheese sandwich, and a glass of milk, please."  
  
"All right, give me a few minutes." He told her as he started searching the kitchen. He hadn't cooked for a long time now. Thankfully, he at least did know how to make a few things, and what she had asked for were part of that list. He prepared her meal quickly and put it down in front of her.  
  
Eli looked down at the plate and then up at him. "Thank-you, Ian, but you did it wrong." He looked at her confused. The celery had it's peanut butter in it and was lying next to the grilled cheese sandwich, and the milk was lying a few inches away from the plate.  
  
"I am sorry, Eli, but I do not know what you mean." She shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"That's okay. Here, I'll show you." Eli picked up her grilled cheese sandwich and opened it up, the cheese making it hard to separate the two slices. She placed them on either side of the plate. Then she picked up the celery sticks with the peanut butter and placed them on one side of the sandwich. then she closed the sandwich back up.  
  
Ian watched her wide eyed as she did this, his stomach turning at her bizarre taste in food. He couldn't believe it as she picked the sandwich back up and took a bite. She seemed very content with it. She looked over at him and raised her sandwich up towards him.  
  
"Oo want um?" She asked, her mouth full. He tried not to lose his breakfast and declined.  
  
"No thank-you, Eli." 


	3. Chapter Three

"So, what would you like to do?" Ian asked her after she had finished eating and he had washed the dishes.  
  
"Can we watch my movie?" She asked. He nodded and agreed since it would keep her occupied.  
  
She stood up on the counter and grinned. "Catch me."  
  
Ian shook his head. "Eli, I am not going to-" That was when she turned around and fell backwards. Ian dashed forward and caught her before she could hit the ground. He breathed out in relief.  
  
She laughed as he placed her on her feet. "That was cool! Can we do it again?"  
  
"No." Ian answered back immediately. He took her by the hand and started leading her into one of the living rooms.  
  
"Ian, can I touch-"  
  
"No."  
  
"Can I look at-"  
  
"No."  
  
"Can I play with-"  
  
"No." She frowned up at him.  
  
"You're no fun." She said as she shut her mouth. He opened up the door to the room and she let go of his hand and ran towards the TV. She knelt down by the DVD player and opened it. That's when Ian noticed that she still had her backpack on. She took it off her backpack and dug through it. She pulled out a DVD and stuck it in.  
  
She pressed play and ran over to the couch. She climbed onto it and pressed the on button to the TV remote. She looked over to where Ian was standing behind the couch.  
  
"Aren't you going to sit down?" She asked. He looked at her for a second and then sat down next to her.  
  
As soon as they were pass the previews, Eli's eyes were glued to the screen. He could see why people said that TV rot children's brains. It was like a sedative to them. She was calm and didn't ask questions. If all he had to do was put her in front of a TV to keep her occupied, this job would be easier than he would have believed it to be.  
  
That's when the music started.  
  
Apparently, children's movie have songs. Not only was the music not to his liking, but Eli was singing along with it off tune. It would have been cute if the sound didn't hurt so much.  
  
"Well, that's just fine! Say it once, say it twice! Take a chance and roll the dice! Fly to the moon in the dead of night!" She screamed out with the movie. "Everybody scream! Everybody scream! In our town of Halloween!  
  
The movie was cutely morbid. And Eli loved every minute of it, from the decapitated heads to the moving skeletons. About half way through, she finally noticed that Ian was staring at her.  
  
She ignored it at first, but then it made her all very uncomfortable. She turned her head from the movie and looked him in the eye.  
  
"Don't do that. Watch the movie. It's good." She told him. She kept his gaze when he didn't turn to watch the movie. She made him lower his head. She thought she made him upset.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She said. He looked back up at her confused.  
  
"Sorry for what?" He asked her.  
  
"I thought I made you sad cause you put your head down."  
  
"No, do not worry. You did not make me sad." He assured her.  
  
"Then why did you put your head down?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Oh," He didn't know how quite to explain it, but tried his best. "No one usually looks me in the eye and can keep it, but you can. I am just not used to it." He told her honestly.  
  
She tilted her head to the side. "How come no one looks you in the eye?"  
  
"That is a bit more complicated then you might understand. It just makes people uncomfortable, like how you were a minute ago." He answered her and hoped that that was enough. He wasn't sure how long he could play twenty questions with her before simply telling her to shut up.  
  
Eli listened carefully and then nodded. "Oh, okay. But I still do not get it. Cause you're eyes aren't scary, they're pretty. And they are very bright."  
  
The little compliment made him smile. "Thank-you very much, Eli."  
  
"Your welcome." That's when another song started on the movie. She turned back to the movie and began singing along again. This time, it wasn't so annoying. 


	4. Chapter Four

Eli: Hey all! Yes, Shinara, I was like this when I was little. Some of these are personal experiences. No Dm, no personal preference. Yes, she was watching 'The Nightmare Before Christmas". And no, I do not actually sing off tune. I just did when I was little. Here's the chapter. Enjoy!  
  
Eli watched her DVD three times, starting it over as soon as it ended. Ian watched silently as he tried desperately to hold onto the remains of his sanity.  
  
Finally, Eli fell asleep at the beginning of watching it a third time. Ian sighed in relief and pressed the mute button on the remote control. He let her sleep till the movie ended for a final time. He looked at the clock. 7:30 P.M. He decided to wake her up so that she would not remain awake all night.  
  
He shook her gently. "Eli, time to wake up."  
  
She turned from him by going onto her side. "Five more minutes, mommy."  
  
Ian was almost floored by silent laughter. After he had stopped shaking, he tried again. "Eli, it is time to wake up." He said, a bit more loudly. She sat up and yawned.  
  
"When's dinner?" She asked as she stretched her arms. Ian had forgotten that he had to feed her more than once a day.  
  
"What would you like to eat?"  
  
Eli spent five minutes trying to figure out what she wanted. Then she smiled and said  
  
"Pizza! With anchovies and pineapple!" Ian grimaced at the decision. He felt his stomach turning again.  
  
"Eli, I do not know how to make pizza, sorry." He told her. Even if he did, he didn't know he could stomach a dish that contained both fish and fruit at the same time. She shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Can't we call Domino's then?" Eli asked. Ian looked at her with confusion.  
  
"Why would you ever call a Domino? Is that not a toy in a game?" He asked. Eli stared at him for a full minute before she started laughing. She went red and was crying from laughter.  
  
"No, not that kind of Domino's! The Domino's that sends you pizza!" She said between laughter. "Ian, you are so silly!" She was rolling on the ground with laughter.  
  
Ian waited till she calmed down a little before he took her hand and led her back to the kitchen. She wiped at the tears in her eyes. She kept mumbling "Why would you call a Domino?" and giggling all over again.  
  
When they got to the kitchen, she pulled out one of the phone books and showed him the Domino's add. He called and ordered, with her on the counter next to him asking him to remember the anchovies and pineapples.  
  
An hour later the pizza arrived. He set the pizza down on the counter and Eli crawled up onto it again and opened the box.  
  
"Wait, you didn't wash your hands and you need......." It was too late; she had already taken a piece out and had taken a big bite out of it. "Plate." He finished.  
  
She looked up at him. "Id oo say soming?" She asked him, mouth full. He shook his head and sat down on the stool at the counter. She pushed the pizza box toward him.  
  
He took a slice of the pizza and took a bite. Ian looked at her surprised. "This is good."  
  
She swallowed and smiled. "I know, that's why I got it. Anchovies and pineapples rule."  
  
An hour later, the pizza was gone. Eli was starting to shift on the counter, meaning she was getting restless. Ian threw away the pizza box and turned to her.  
  
"What do you usually do after dinner?"  
  
"Take a bath." She answered as she climbed down off the counter. He nodded.  
  
"I'll take you to one of the bathrooms now." Eli didn't move to take his hand and lowered her head.  
  
"Is something wrong, Eli?" He asked her. She mumbled something that he couldn't make out. "What? Please repeat that?"  
  
"I can't take a bath by myself." She said slowly, very embarrassed. Ian looked at her confused for a moment before it dawned on him what it meant.  
  
"Then I must assist you as you bathe?" Eli bit her lip and nodded. Ian sighed and restrained from falling to his knees and yelling.  
  
He took her to one of the smaller bathrooms and started running the water. Eli removed her shoes and socks, then her overalls and shirt. She was about to remove her tank top and panties, when Ian stopped her.  
  
"Leave those on, please."  
  
"But they'll get wet." Eli complained. He insisted she leave them on, so she just shrugged and got into the bath tub. Ian was grateful she listened. Six or sixty, he would not be comfortable if she had continued. He was uncomfortable enough as it was.  
  
Ian took out her pigtails and had her dunk her head to get her hair wet. She splashed him as she lifted her head back up. His shirt was now soaking. He sighed and reached for the shampoo.  
  
Eli had nothing to really do, so she started asking him questions.  
  
"Ian, what's your middle name?"  
  
"Christian."  
  
"How old are you?"  
  
"Thirty-two."  
  
"When's your birthday?"  
  
"April 21, lean you head back." She did as he asked. She closed her eyes to keep the soap out.  
  
"What's your favorite color?"  
  
"Black."  
  
"Why?" She asked.  
  
"It just is." He told her as he finished rinsing her hair and grabbed the conditioner.  
  
"What are your parent's names?" She asked. He stopped for a second, accidentally pulling her hair as he did.  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"You didn't answer." She said softly.  
  
"I do not know."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Because I am an orphan." He answered coldly.  
  
"Oh. What's an orphan?" She asked innocently.  
  
"Someone who has no parents due to death, loss of custody, or in my case, abandonment." He told her. Eli whirled her head to look at him, splashing him in the face as she did.  
  
"No." She stated. He nodded and she began to pout. "That's not fair!"  
  
"Learn now that life rarely is fair. Put your head back again." She was quiet as he rinsed out her hair. When he was finished, she asked another question.  
  
"Want me to find them and kick their butts for you?"  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Your parents. I'll just go Hi-Yah! Wah!" She demonstrated fast kicks to the head, once again splashing Ian with water. He smiled at her comment.  
  
"No, thank-you Eli." He handed her the body wash. "Can you wash yourself?"  
  
"Uh huh, just get my back." She washed her arms and legs.  
  
"Who raised you?" She asked as he lifted the back of her tank top up and got her back.  
  
"Kenneth Irons."  
  
"Was he that blonde man?"  
  
"Yes, he was."  
  
"Is he your daddy?" Ian didn't answer. Eli rinsed the soap off and stood up. Ian pulled the plug and handed her a towel. She took it from him.  
  
"Can you get my froggy pajamies from my bag, please? They're in the front pocket."  
  
"Yes, I will be back." He turned and left the bathroom. It was the first time he noticed that she had gotten him absolutely soaked. He sighed and decided to change after he got her dressed.  
  
Alone, Eli remembered what he told her about his parents and scowled. "I still want to kick their butts." She said out loud to no one in particular.  
  
She didn't know that Ian heard her say it and reply.  
  
"So do I, little one. So do I." 


	5. Chapter Five

Eli: Hey all! No Dm, not one of my favorite. But I thought Ian might like it. Anway, here' sthe next chapter. Enjoy!  
Ian brought back Eli's pajamas along with her toothbrush and her hair brush. He handed her the clothes and placed the items on the counter. He went back to his room and changed into dry clothes.  
  
After he was done he checked in on her in the bathroom. She was busy brushing her hair. He kept back a laugh at her technique. Her hair was a little pass the middle of her back, and her arm was too short to reach. She would brush down till a little pass her shoulder and then puu the brush back up, leaving the bottom of her hair in tangles.  
  
Ian shook his head and came in. She noticed he was smirking at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Here." He took the brush from her and began to brush out the rest of her hair. She wiggled the entire time, making it hard to get the tangles out.  
  
"Ouch! Ow!" She said.  
  
"Stop moving and it will not hurt." He told her. He finished quickly. Eli rubbed her head and looked up at him.  
  
"No more brushing hair. You make it hurt." She told him. He ignored the comment and took her to her bedroom.  
  
He watched her go through her bag and pull out a yellow doll with red cheeks that somewhat resembled an animal. She climbed into the huge bed and got under the covers. She looked over at Ian. She waited for a minute before asking  
  
"Aren't you gonna tell me a bed-time story?"  
  
Ian looked at her confused. "What?"  
  
"You know, a bed-time story. Like The Little Match Girl, or Twelve Dancing Princesses, or The Boy who Cried Wolf?"  
  
He nodded his head. He came to the thought that bed-time stories were retelling of myths to children to pass down to their children.  
  
Eli was beginning to get impatient, so he sat down on her bed and proceeded to tell what he thought would be an appropriate story.  
  
"About 2000 BC, there was a...."  
  
"Wait! You did it wrong!" Eli said seriously. "You need to start it with 'Once upon a time'." She told him.  
  
"Forgive me. Once upon a time there was a goddess named Sehren. She was a goddess of hunt and animals. She lived happily in the forest by herself, killing all who dare disturb her."  
  
"Wait a second! Princesses don't kill, Ian." Eli told him.  
  
"But she was not a princess." Ian reasoned. She shrugged her shoulders and he went on. "There was a king of the nearby city, Gilgamesh...." Eli laughed at the name. He looked at her and she stopped laughing. "He had a mighty kingdom and was well praised by all. Until he met Sehren."  
  
"He fell in love with her, huh?" Eli said. He nodded.  
  
"Yes, of course. But she would not have him."  
  
"Awwwwwwwwww." Eli said. she definitely sympathized.  
  
"She ran from him whenever he came near. And he could never catch her. The pain of his love soon drove him insane and he could no longer govern his people."  
  
"Did he have to wear a straight jacket?" Eli asked.  
  
"No, they did not have straight jackets back then." He told her.  
  
"Crazy people wear straight jackets." She said seriously. He nodded and went on.  
  
"Gilgamesh went to his friend Enkidu and asked him to kill Sehren so that...."  
  
"No!!!!!!!" Eli shouted. "He can't kill her! The story doesn't go like that!"  
  
"Calm down, Eli. It is only a story, and I am sad to say that IS what happened."  
  
Eli shook her head. "No, it didn't." Her stubbornness amused him.  
  
"So how did it go?" He asked her, smirking.  
  
"Well," She started. "Gilgamesh asked Enkidu to go get him a golden snake from the wise eagles that flew over every morning. So Enkidu took his bow and arrow and shot down the wise eagles. But they put a curse on him that could only be lifted if a good friend didn't speak for a year. Gilgamesh took on this task since it was his fault Enkidu was cursed. Gilgamesh didn't speak for a whole year. During this whole time, Sehren mocked him and yelled at him, but he could do nothing. After the year was over and Enkidu was better, Gilgamesh went to Sehren and bet her that he could beat her in a race. she laughed and said he couldn't. He told her that if she won, he would never bother her again, but if he won, she would have to marry him. She agreed and the race began. Sehren was about to win when Gilgamesh pulled out the golden snake and threw it at her feet. Sehren loved snakes and stopped to look at it and admire it. Meanwhile, Gilgamesh won the race. So Sehren had to marry him. In time she learned to love him and they had kids that ruled the kingdom."  
  
Eli stopped for a second so that she could catch her breath. Ian looked at her, very impressed that she had come up with all that on a scur.  
  
"A very good tale." She held up her hand.  
  
"Not finished yet. And they all lived happily ever after." She announced proudly. "Now it is done."  
  
"Will you sleep now?" He asked her. She shook her head.  
  
"You have to tuck me in now." She told him. Ian shrugged and tucked her in. She was holding that strange yellow doll close to her. Ian was about to turn to get off the bed so that she could sleep, when she stopped him.  
  
"Wait! You have to give Pikachu a kiss on the head." She told him. She held up the little yellow doll.  
  
Ian shook his head. No way would he kiss a doll. Eli looked at him seriously. "If pikachu doesn't get a kiss on the head, then he doesn't sleep. And if pikachu doesn't sleep, I don't sleep." She announced.  
  
Ian sighed. He had no choice. He kissed the little doll on the head. Eli nodded approvingly. "Night, night, Ian." She said as he got off the bed.  
  
"Good-night, Eli." He shut off the light and closed the door. 


	6. Chapter Six

Eli woke up early the next morning. She smiled as she climbed out of bed with Pikachu. She grabbed her slippers from her bag and put them on. Then she opened her door to go watch TV.  
  
Then she realized that she didn't know how to get around without Ian.  
  
"IAN!" She yelled out. She got no reply. He must have been too asleep to hear her. She pouted. Then she remembered what he had said about how her room was close to hers.  
  
Eli started checking rooms for human life. Finally, three doors across the hall from her, she heard breathing. She ran into the room and launched herself at the bed. She began jumping on the bed and screaming.  
  
"Ian, Wake up! Ian, Wake up! IAN, WAKE UP!" She yelled happily. She accidently jumped too far to the side and she connected with his stomach.  
  
All of the breath in his lungs left him as he felt something bodyslam into his stomach. He sat up and grabbed at whatever it was.  
  
His hands encircled her ankles. Her feet were pulled out from under her. She landed with a thud on top of his legs. She groaned.  
  
"Ow. That hurt!" She hit him on the shoulder with pikachu.  
  
Ian let go when he realized who it was. He rubbed his eyes, which were ready to fall back down to get some sleep. "Eli, what were you doing?"  
  
"I needed to find you and now I have." She announced. "You hurt my bum bum, though."  
  
"And you almost pumped my stomach without the use of machines." He told her. He glanced at the clock. "Eli, it is barely six o'clock in the morning. Why are you up?" He asked her.  
  
"It's Saturday." She said, as if he should know the significance.  
  
"And?" He asked. He was clearly confused.  
  
Eli stared at him as if he was insane. "Cartoons! C'mon," She grabbed his hand and tried to drag him out of bed. "We're gonna miss the good ones."  
  
Ian sighed and got out of bed. Eli smiled as he followed her out into the hallway.  
  
"First we need to go to the kitchen." She told him. He nodded and led her to the kitchen. Eli grabbed a stool and used it to climb onto the other counter. She looked through the shelves in shock.  
  
"Now where is it? You should have some.... Here it is!" She pulled out an un-opened box. Then she grabbed two bowls from another shelf. She looked at the clock and then quickly scrambled down. She shifted through the drawers till she found two spoons. Then she went to the refrigerator and got some milk. She balanced things uneasily in her arms. She was an expert at it.  
  
She turned to Ian. "Let's go." Since her hands were full, he took her wrist and led her to the Living room. She put the items down on the table and grabbed the remote. She put in certain numbers and smiled.  
  
"Recess!" She shouted as she sat down on the floor next to the table. Eli began to pour cereal into a bowl. She poured milk into it and began to eat as the show started.  
  
During commercial she looked over at Ian, who was sitting on the couch. "I got you a bowl, too. Don't you want some?"  
  
Since she had bothered to remember him, he took a bowl. He had never had this before. He picked up the box and looked at it.  
  
"Lucky Charms." He said outloud. Eli nodded.  
  
"They're magically delicious." She said as she laughed. Then the show came back on and she turned her head back to the TV.  
  
Ian fixed up his bowl like he had seen her do. He took a bite. It was very sweet. It tasted pretty good. He had three more bowls.  
  
Meanwhile, Eli watched Reccess, Pokemon: Master Quest, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Jackie Chan Adventures.  
  
Eli noticed he had finished another bowl, so she took it from him and fixed it up for him. She handed it back.  
  
"Thank-you, Eli." He said as he took the bowl. A new show started, something called Mucha Lucha. He watched it as he took a spoonful out of cereal.  
  
The first thing he noticed was the sugar evaporating in his mouth. He looked back down into the bowl. Apparently, Eli had also gotten some sugar and had added about three cups of it to the cereal. He put the bowl down on the table. He watched Eli consume another bowl of the stuff.  
  
"Eli, did you put sugar to all of the bowls you had?" She nodded her head, eyes glued to the TV. Ian was suddenly very worried. He had heard that children get very, very hyper when they have sugar. "Eli, how many bowls of cereal did you eat?"  
  
"Six." She answered. She was bouncing in her seat. Her sugar rush was just about to kick in.  
  
'Dear God.' He thought to himself. He sighed as he tried to mentally prepare himself for the rest of the day. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Eli: Hello. Yes, I know. I took way too long. *pauses for scolding* I have been having S.A.T's at school and wanted to wait till they were done to write. But the muses got very angry. And they like pointy things. Very pointy things. Ouch! Okay, me shutting up. Here's more story! Enjoy!  
  
By the time X-Men Evolution was over, Eli's sugar rush had kicked in. She began running around the room, screaming at the top of her lungs that a dragon was chasing her. She dove onto the couch, grabbing pillows for protection against her invisible foe.  
  
Ian tried desperately to calm her down and he didn't know how much he could take. "Eli, please calm d-, ELI!"  
  
Eli had jumped over the back of the couch and had scrambled over to the wall and grabbed a very ancient sword that was hanging on the wall. She began swinging it around at the 'dragon'.  
  
"Take that! And that!" She said as she ran, Ian trying to get close enough to her to get the sword without being hit. "And this, and that, and OUCH!" She screamed as she swung too hard and cut slightly into her knee.  
  
Ian grabbed the sword from her. She sunk to the ground crying. "Waaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"  
  
Ian grimaced at the sound. He wanted to cover his ears and run far, far away rather than deal with it. He put the sword on a table and kneeled down to her level. "Eli, please do not cry." He begged her.  
  
She looked at him teary eyed and with a look that just made him melt. "It hurts." She sobbed out. He touched her shoulder gently out of comfort. Eli reacted by reaching over and hugging him. Ian almost fell over out of shock alone. He wasn't quite sure how to proceed.  
  
Eli just continued to cry and hug him awkwardly. Then he remembered her knee and saw that it was bleeding. That needed to get taken cared of. He picked her up and she clung to him even closer.  
  
He took her to the closest bathroom and placed her on the counter. She was still sniffling, but it was not nearly as loud as the earth shattering screams she was letting out earlier. He got out a first aid kit and a towel. He washed her knee of all the blood and dust. Then he used alcohol. Eli let out a whimper when he did. He wished so much that she hadn't injured herself, or he had grabbed the sword in time.  
  
He bound her knee in light wrappings since the cut was not that deep. He looked at her and she was still crying, but very quiet. "Hey, stop crying now, it is all better."  
  
She pouted. "It doesn't feel all better." She said as she wiped at her eyes roughly. Ian handed her a tissue and she blew her nose. She tossed it at the garbage can by the counter.  
  
"Hit." She said as she smiled through her tears.  
  
"Very good." He replied. "I will take you to your room so you can change, and then you may do what ever you please."  
  
She nodded. Ian helped her to the floor. "Can you walk?" He asked.  
  
"Uh huh." He took her to the room. She turned and looked at him before he closed her door. "Thank-you, Ian." The whole sincerity made him feel good.  
  
"Your welcome." He said as he shut the door. She went over to her bags, slightly limping because of her knee. She looked through her bags for something to wear. She came to a certain outfit and smiled.  
  
Ian waited for her outside her room. When she came out, he tried hard not to laugh. Eli had mimicked his dress style and had put on a girly version of what he was wearing.  
  
"Now," She said with a smirk, the pain in her knee forgotten, "Let's go play!" Eli watched as Ian was about ready to explode with laughter. She looked down at her outfit an shrugged.  
  
She liked her current outfit. Black shirt with only a little lace on the collar. Black capri's that had flower designs near the bottom. And black Mary Janes with black socks.  
  
"What?" She asked. He shook his head.  
  
"It is nothing." He said as seriously as possible. Eli looked down the hall out the window. It was partly sunny.  
  
"Can we go outside to play?" She asked.  
  
"Yes, we can." He took her by the hand to lead her out of the large mansion. When they were out the front door, she let go of his hand and jumped down the stairs. When she got to the ground, she began running around.  
  
Ian had to chase her all over. Her sugar rush had returned and he was having a hard time keeping her out of trouble. She almost stepped in the thousand dollar flower beds. She almost made a sandbox of the Zen garden. And she almost broke a window in the greenhouse. Snd she was no where near tired yet.  
  
"C'mon Ian, try and catch me." She taunted as she began running around rampant among some trees. He had to chase her past the trees till there was this huge hill of grass. Eli stopped running and grinned. She sat down and started rolling down the hill sideways, laughing the whole time.  
  
He watched horrified from the top, hoping she wouldn't run into a rock or tree or do one of the hundreds of other things that could cause injury. She finally stopped rolling when she got to the bottom. She ran back up the hill, a little loopsy from rolling.  
  
"I wanna do that again." She announced. He grabbed her shoulder.  
  
"No, you are not." She pouted up at him.  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No." He told her. She stomped away toward one of the trees. She smiled again and began climbing. She sat down on a branch fifteen feet up.  
  
"Hey, look! I'm gonna be like Batman!" Ian stood next to the tree looking up at her.  
  
'What does she mean by that?' He wondered. Then she answered by trying to jump down. He caught her before she hit the ground. But since they were slightly tilting, Ian fell onto his ass as he caught her.  
  
"Why did you stop my landing?" She asked seriously. He shook his head.  
  
"I believe we have been out here too long." He told her as he set her on her feet. "We should return inside now."  
  
She groaned as he took her hand to take her back to the house. She was quiet till they were about half way to the house.  
  
"My feet hurt. Can I have a piggy back ride?" She asked. He looked down confused.  
  
"What is that?" He asked. She grinned.  
  
"Kneel down, please." She told him. Cautiously, he did as she asked. He was surprised as she got behind him and climbed onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Now you stand up and we go back to the house."  
  
He stood up with her on his back and she squealed with delight. He started walking slowly. A piggy back ride, he decided, was when someone took a ride on your back. He put his arms under her legs to keep her from slipping.  
  
As they headed back toward the mansion, she started singing.  
  
"Let's get down to business - to defeat the Huns  
  
Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?  
  
You're the saddest bunch I've ever met  
  
But you can bet before we're through  
  
Mister, I'll make a man out of you  
Tranquil as a forest  
  
But on fire within  
  
Once you find your center  
  
You are sure to win  
  
You're a spineless, pale pathetic lot  
  
And you haven't got a clue  
  
Somehow I'll make a man out of you  
I'm never gonna catch my breath  
  
Say goodbye to those who knew me  
  
Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym  
  
This guy's got 'em scared to death  
  
Hope he doesn't see right through me  
  
Now I really wish that I knew how to swim  
  
Be a man  
  
We must be swift as the coursing river  
  
Be a man  
  
With all the force of a great typhoon  
  
Be a man  
  
With all the strength of a raging fire  
  
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon  
Time is racing toward us till the Huns arrive  
  
Heed my every order and you might survive  
  
You're unsuited for the rage of war  
  
So pack up, go home you're through  
  
How could I make a man out of you?  
  
Be a man  
  
We must be swift as the coursing river  
  
Be a man  
  
With all the force of a great typhoon  
  
Be a man  
  
With all the strength of a raging fire  
  
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon"  
  
They had reached the front door by now. Ian was surprised to see someone by the door waiting for him.  
  
"Be a man  
  
We must be swift as the coursing river  
  
Be a man  
  
With all the force of a great typhoon  
  
Be a man  
  
With all the strength of a raging fire  
  
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon" 


	8. Chapter Eight

Eli: Hello! Back again. Yes, the song is from Mulan. Shinara, no one is too old for Disney! I think I'll pass the choclate covered ian's, but if you have any gummy Gabriels..... Cindy, I'll try. I suck at spelling, and me have no spell check. Darkness, you didn't know me when I was six, and yes, that is how I acted. Ask me Uncle Kenny. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!  
  
Eli was about to start another song when she saw someone standing by the door. When Ian tried to put her back on the ground, she wouldn't let go. She shook her head, but continued to stare at the person by the door.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Ian asked him.  
  
"Uh, Mr. Nottingham, you ordered a sword a while back and it just came in." Gabriel stated slowly. "Is this not a good time or...."  
  
"Now will be fine." He answered. He unlocked the front door and they stepped into the house. Gabriel stared at the little one on his back. Crazy assassin dude with a kid? It was way too surreal.  
  
"Eli, I need to put you down now." He told her. She was very hesitant to do so, but she eventually crawled down from his back. He turned to Gabriel and motioned for him to follow.  
  
He led them into a huge office room. Eli wouldn't leave Ian's side. Ian could not figure out why she was so uncomfortable. But he did notice that she wasn't going anywhere near Gabriel. He figured he should get this over with as soon as possible.  
  
Eli stood at the edge of the desk. She kept her head down, sneaking glances at Gabriel when she didn't think he was looking. He noticed and smirked. He waited for her to look up at him again. When she did, he made a face at her. She giggled slightly and put her head down again.  
  
When she lifted her head again, he did the same thing, and this time was able to get a smile out of her along with another giggle. He walked over to her and kneeled down to her level.  
  
"I'm Gabriel, what's your name?" Eli bite her lip and looked over at Ian. He nodded at her and she looked back at Gabriel.  
  
"Eli." She said quietly.  
  
"How old are you?" He asked her.  
  
"Six." She answered. She noticed his key chain sticking out of his pocket and smiled. "Gangar."  
  
He looked at her confused. "What?"  
  
She pointed to the key chain. "Gangar."  
  
He looked down and laughed. "Oh yeah, I forgot about him. You like pokemon?"  
  
She nodded her head. "Uh huh."  
  
"Whose your favorite?"  
  
"Pikachu. I have one. Wanna see?" She asked.  
  
"Sure." Eli went over and pulled on Ian's arm. He shook his head.  
  
"I need to do this first." She pouted and he sighed. "Go down the hall, turn right, your room is the second to the left."  
  
"Thank-you." She said, smiling. She walked out of the room.  
  
Gabriel stood up. "She's adorable." Ian nodded. "Is she your kid?"  
  
Ian looked over at him, clearly shocked. Gabriel didn't know weather to run out the door or fall to the ground laughing. "No, she is not. Why would you ask such a thing?"  
  
"Well, she kinda looks like you, the clothing and all, and..... It just seemed like she was." He stammered out. Ian just shook his head and passed Gabriel the check.  
  
"This was the price, correct?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah." He said as he shoved the check into his pocket. Eli came bouncing back in with her pikachu doll.  
  
"This is pikachu." She announced proudly. Gabriel smiled and nodded.  
  
"He looks very cute. What level is he?"  
  
"Fifty-five."  
  
"Ah, your a master." He told her. She giggled again. He looked at his watch. "Alright, I have to go. See ya, Eli." He said as he began to leave. He nodded at Ian and then walked out the door. Eli watched the door well after he was gone.  
  
"Eli?" Ian called after her. She didn't reply. "Eli."  
  
She turned her head. "Yes?"  
  
"What is wrong with you?" He asked. She shook her head.  
  
"Nothing." She answered.  
  
"Are you sure?" He knew he wasn't. Her cheeks were tinted red. She shook her head again.  
  
"Uh huh." 


	9. Chapter Nine

Eli sat on the counter in the kitchen as Ian made her lunch. Her sugar high had disappeared and she was unusually quiet. She kept staring off into space.  
  
"Eli, what is the matter with you?" She shrugged her shoulders. "That is not a good answer."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about." She replied quietly.  
  
"You have been acting strange ever since Gabriel came this morning."  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"No, you are lying. There is something. Why were you so scared of Gabriel when you first saw him?" He asked her.  
  
"I didn't know him." She answered. "Remember to put the carrots inside the sandwich too, please." She told him. Peanut butter, Jelly, and carrot sandwich. Ian just did as she asked and gave her her sandwich.  
  
"Are you scared of everybody you do not know?" He asked her. She shook her head as she took a bite. Ian grimaced as she did.  
  
"Onl oys." She answered.  
  
"Only boys? Not girls?" She nodded her head.  
  
"I ws scare of oo to." She told him. She took another bite. He stopped his questions till after she finished eating. She jumped down off the counter and put her plate in the sink. "I need to go to the bathroom."  
  
"Just across the hall." He told her, and she left the room. When she didn't come back for half an hour, he decided he should check on her. He knocked on the door.  
  
"Eli?" There was no answer. He slowly opened the door and.......  
  
"BOO!" She jumped out at him. When he didn't get scared, she crossed her arms and pouted. He looked at her curiously.  
  
"What is wrong now?"  
  
"You didn't get scared." She answered.  
  
"Oh, was I supposed to?"  
  
"Uh huh. Lily always did. Or at least she did till......." She stopped talking and put her head down.  
  
"Till what?" He asked her. She looked back up.  
  
"Till the bad men took her away." She replied sadly. "Daddy has to go get her back with Iron man."  
  
"I thought they took your mother." He asked confused. Eli nodded.  
  
"Lily is mommy." She told him. "Can we watch another movie?"  
  
"Okay." She took his hand and he led her back to her room where she looked through her backpack for another DVD. "So, you call your mommy by her name?"  
  
She nodded as she looked through her backpack. "It's what I always called her. Even before she was mommy."  
  
"Before she was mommy?"  
  
"Yeah, before mommy she was sissy." She told him. She held up a DVD. "Want to watch this one?"  
  
"Okay." Ian was getting more confused by the second, so he thought up something. "But before we do that, you need to help me with something."  
  
She nodded. "Okay, what?"  
  
"I will show you." He took her into the living room and had her stand by the computer. He logged on and typed in 'Carver, Jacob' into his search engine. Eli couldn't see the screen, so she tried moving around. She still wasn't tall enough, so she made Ian scoot back in his chair as she crawled onto his lap. He wasn't sure if it was normal for little girls to do this, so he jus shrugged his shoulders and went with it. Ian continued looking through the files till he found Eli's father.  
  
"That's my daddy." She exclaimed when his picture popped up. He nodded. Other pictures of Jacob's family appeared, including Eli's. She scowled. "I don't like that picture. Lily made me wear the pink bow. I hate the pink bow. I don't have to wear the pink bow here, do I?"  
  
He smiled a little. "No, you do not have to wear the pink bow here."  
  
"Good." She replied. Ian came across two pictures of two different women.  
  
"Eli, who are these women?" He pointed at the pictures. She looked at it and smiled.  
  
"That's old mommy." She said, pointing to the first picture. This woman had dark hair and brown eyes and looked like she was in her thirties. "And this is Lily." She pointed at a young blonde girl who looked about eighteen to twenty.  
  
"Okay." He read the name and bio under the woman Eli had referred to as 'old mommy'.  
  
Name: Angelina Calliope Dantes Carver. Birthdate: September 15, 1968  
  
Status: First wife of Jacob Carver, deceased as of 2000. Two children: Antony Jacob Derrick Carver, Eliza Amelie Morgan Carver.  
  
'So her real mother is dead. Lily must be her stepmother. But what did she mean that before Lily was sissy?' He thought to himself. He read the bio under 'Lily' as well.  
  
Name: Lillith Denise Matthews Carver Birthdate: June 16, 1981  
  
Status: Second wife of Jacob Carver, currently living and happily married. No truth to rumor of Ms. Matthews being his daughter from an affair, making their marriage thus illegal.  
  
"So Eli, Lily is your mommy?" She nodded her head. "And Lily is also sissy?" She nodded her head again.  
  
"Is something wrong, Ian? You look sick." She asked curiously.  
  
'You have no idea how wrong, little one.' He thought to himself. Out loud he said, "No, I am fine. It says you have a brother." He scrolled down to her brother's section.  
  
Name: Antony Jacob Derrick Carver Birthdate: March 25, 1986  
  
Status: First born son, disowned as of 2000, deceased as of 2001.  
  
"That's Tony. He was my friend, then daddy said he was bad and made him go away." Eli said sadly.  
  
"Why was Tony bad?" Ian asked her.  
  
"Daddy said he said bad things about Lily."  
  
"Where did he send Tony?" Eli didn't answer. She put her finger to the screen and traced Tony's face with her finger.  
  
"He used to play with me, now he can't." She stopped suddenly and got down from Ian's lap. "I don't want to help any more. Can we watch my movie now?" Ian closed the screen and turned off the monitor.  
  
"Yes, you may." He watched as she put in the DVD and jumped onto the couch. He sat down next to her and looked at the box. 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1,2, & 3' He sighed and just sat back as Eli went through about two movies before she fell asleep. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Eli: Sick of me yet? Shinara, may I have an order of chocolate covered froggies? Froggies that are jelly, of course. Everyone wants to kick Jacob's butt. Heh heh heh. Well, I guess I do to. But trust me, you don't even know half of the real story, and I don't think you guys are anywhere near it. Well, except for my friend who begged and pleaded and refused to write and since she had helped me with the story, I let her have all of Little E's history. Anyway, here's the next chapter, Enjoy!  
  
~  
  
Ian woke Eli up for dinner. He took her into the kitchen for dinner. She shrugged when he asked her what she wanted, so he just made her a grilled cheese sandwich again. He watched her as she ate. She hadn't spoken since she had awaken, nor had she smiled. She was really beginning to worry him.  
  
He took her plate when she was done and put it in the sink. He stood across from where she was sitting on the counter. "What is wrong?"  
  
She looked up at him. "Nothing."  
  
"Stop lying Eli. I know something is wrong." Her eyes filled up and it looked like she was going to cry again. Something like a knife could be felt be twisted inside himself. He found he really didn't want her to be sad. Remembering what made her feel better earlier, he picked her up off the counter.  
  
She put her head against his neck. "I miss Tony. I miss him so much."  
  
"Shh. It is all right." He told her. After about ten minutes, he put her back down. "Time for your bath."  
  
She nodded her head. "All right." They headed toward the bathroom. Ian ran the water again. This time, he removed his sweater and rolled up his sleeves. Eli got into the bath tub in her panties and tank top.  
  
"Ian, how come I have to wear clothes when I take a bath?"  
  
"Because........ Because you are not my relative. Put your head back and get your hair wet." Eli nodded and did just that. Ian looked at the water and shook his head. "It is hard to believe all that came off of your hair."  
  
She lifted her head back up and smiled. "Lots of playing."  
  
"Tomorrow we will put your hair up." He said as he put the shampoo in her hair.  
  
"Ian?" She asked as she closed her eyes. She hated when soap got into her eyes.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Is it bad to like boys?" Ian shook his head. He could anticipate a man's move before he even knew what he was going to do, but when it came to this child, she had surprised him more in one day than he had been in a whole lifetime.  
  
"No, Eli, it is not bad to like boys." He told her.  
  
"Oh, okay." She answered. He tugged a little on her hair, and she put her head back to get the shampoo out.  
  
"Why do you ask? Do you like a boy?" He asked, smirking. Eli turned her head toward him, splashing his shirt with water.  
  
"No..... Why do you think that?" She asked anxiously.  
  
"No reason at all." He answered.  
  
"Why, do YOU like a boy?" She asked him. He laughed.  
  
"I do not like boys." He told her.  
  
"Then you like girls?" She asked. He nodded as he started putting in conditioner. "Do you have a girlfriend?"  
  
"No. Please do not squirm so much. You are getting the floor wet." Eli smiled.  
  
"Tidal wave!" She yelled.  
  
"Eli, you better...... Eli!" She had caused a huge splash and had gotten Ian totally soaked from the waist down. She laughed a little and smiled.  
  
"Sorry, Ian." He nodded his head and sighed. "Ian, do you like a girl?"  
  
He didn't answer. Eli nodded her head. "What's her name?"  
  
"None of your business." He told her as he rinsed out the conditioner. "There, get the body soap and wash your self. I will go get your night ware."  
  
"Bring Pikachu too, please." She called after him. He rolled his eyes and nodded. He picked up her clothes and pikachu. He stared at the doll and shook his head. The thing was sickeningly too adorable.  
  
Eli was done when he returned. He handed her a towel and then went to his room to change. She would either need to learn to bathe by herself, or he would need some sort of rain coat for protection.  
  
He returned to the bathroom. She was once again trying to brush her hair. He tried to take the brush from her, but she moved away.  
  
"Eli....." He said as he tried to look at her sternly. She put her head down and handed him the brush. He smirked. It had worked! He started trying to get the knots out of her hair.  
  
"Ouch!" She said as she twitched.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"Is her name Samantha?" She asked him. He looked at her confused.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The girl you like."  
  
"No."  
  
"Katrina?" He shook his head. She watched his face in the mirror. "Danielle? Jessica? Mary? Linda? Brittany? Christina? Ashley?" All he did was shake his head. Eli thought up more names. "Nina? Jackie? Gracie? Victoria? Johanna? Sara?"  
  
At the last name, he pulled a little too hard as he got the last tangle out. "Ouch!" She looked at his face and smirked.  
  
"Her name is Sara! You like someone named Sara!" She announced proudly. Ian looked at her, but he couldn't pull off the stern look again. "I know who you like! I know who you like! Ian and Sara, sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n- g!" She sang out.  
  
"Okay, time for bed." He told her. She grabbed pikachu and followed him to her room.  
  
Before she got into bed, she pulled a book out of her bag. She handed it to Ian as she crawled into her huge bed. He looked at the cover confused.  
  
"History of Sports?" He read out loud. She shook her head.  
  
"Look inside." He opened it and read the first page.  
  
"Grimm's Fairy Tales. This belongs to Antony Carver."  
  
"Daddy didn't think it was right that boys read fairy tales. But Lily hates them and wouldn't read them to me. Tony was the only one who did. Will you read one to me, please?"  
  
"Yes, of course. Which one would you like?"  
  
"Twelve Dancing Princesses." She told him as she snuggled into her bed. He began the tale. Eli fell asleep just as he read the words 'Happily ever after'.  
  
- Hour Later -  
  
Ian was just about to go to sleep. The day had been surprisingly stressful. He didn't know children could be such energetic, tree jumping, sword wielding things. Despite the happiness she brought, he was glad the day was over.  
  
Then he heard her voice from her room. He pushed aside sleep and ran down to her room. He opened her door and was relieved when there was no signs of an attack. But Eli was in pain. She had kicked off her covers and was kicking and screaming in her sleep.  
  
"No, no, no. Stop! Ahh! Stop!" Ian went up to the bed and tried to wake her up. she just struggled more. "No, no! Daddy, stop it! I won't tell! I won't tell, please stop! Daddy, please stop!"  
  
"Eli!" She woke up breathing heavily. He sat down next to her. "Are you okay? What did you see?" Eli shook her head. She pulled her knees to her and hugged herself. She was not going to talk this time, but he still hugged her and he felt her relax. He tucked her back into bed and picked pikachu up off the ground and put him next to her.  
  
He was about to turn off the lights and leave when she told him "No, don't. It will be too scary."  
  
He looked at her and nodded. She hugged pikachu and looked at him. "Please don't leave. Make the bad things go away. Please, Ian?"  
  
He sat down on the bed next to her. "I do not know if I can, but I will try."  
  
She smiled. "Thank-you. Night, night."  
  
"Good-night."  
  
- The Next Morning -  
  
Ian was sound asleep when Eli opened the door. She smiled and quietly tiptoed up to his bed. She climbed onto his bed. She sat down next to him and......  
  
WHAM!  
  
Ian woke up when he felt something connect with his forehead. He sat up to find Eli laughing. He shook his head at her.  
  
She accidentally shifted as she laughed and she fell off the bed with a huge crash. Ian looked down at her. She wasn't even fazed. She was rolling on the ground laughing. She looked up at him and pointed at him with her wand.  
  
"You're a froggie!" She told him in between laughter. He looked at her confused. She had on a light green shirt, a frilly, see through skirt with sparkles, and bright green leggings. She also had a pair of wings that matched her skirt, a silver tiara, and a silver wand with a star on the end.  
  
"What are you suppose to be?" He asked her amused. She stopped laughing and got up.  
  
"I'm a fairy princess." She announced. "C'mon froggie, let's get breakfast."  
  
"Froggie?" He asked as he got up.  
  
"I turned you into a froggie." She told him. He nodded and took her into the kitchen. He took what was left of the Lucky Charms and gave it to her. She frowned.  
  
"Where's the sugar?" She asked.  
  
"Eli, you had enough sugar yesterday to last you for a month. I need to get dressed. Can you be good for ten minutes?"  
  
Eli nodded. "I e ood." He looked at her one last time before he left the room.  
  
Just as he had finished getting ready, his cell phone went off. He answered it as he made his way back towards the kitchen.  
  
"Ian?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"How is the girl?"  
  
"She is fine. No one has gone after her."  
  
"It is doubtful anyone will, but be alert. There were arguments among the captors. Some wanted to kill the whole Carver line. She is the only living protégé. Some rogues may go after her."  
  
"They will not succeed, sir."  
  
"Good." Ian stopped outside the door to the kitchen. He peeked in to make sure she was okay. She was still eating breakfast. He lowered his voice so that she could not hear.  
  
"Sir, have you seen the file on Mr. Carver?"  
  
"Not recently, why?"  
  
"Eli has told me that-"  
  
"Eli?" Irons asked.  
  
"The girl, Sir."  
  
"Oh. What has she told you?"  
  
"She has said things that make it possible that Mr. Carver has wed his own daughter from an affair."  
  
"Ian, that is quite a bold statement. What has she said that makes you think this?"  
  
"She has referred to the woman you are saving to once being her sister. She had nightmares, and in them she screams to her father that she will not tell. Sir, I believe something very wrong is happening in this family. What will you have me do, Sir?"  
  
There was silence on the phone. "I will look into it. See if she will tell you what secret she is harboring. If this is true, I feel the need to break our association."  
  
"Yes, Sir. Is Mr. Carver with you now?"  
  
"Yes, he is across the room."  
  
"Would he like to speak with his daughter?"  
  
Her heard some mumbling over the phone. "No, he would not. We should be back in a few days. If there is an attack, contact me immediately."  
  
"Yes, Sir." He hung up the phone and slipped it into his pocket. He entered the kitchen. Eli was just finishing her breakfast. She smirked up at him.  
  
"See, I was good." She announced. He smiled and nodded. She jumped down from the counter and put her bowl in the sink. She turned toward him and motioned for him to kneel down. When he did, she bopped him on the head with her wand.  
  
"Now you're a bunny." He rolled his eyes and then noticed a black mark on her knee. He made her stay still for a second as he looked at it.  
  
"Eli, did you take the band aid off?" She nodded. He sighed and took her back to the bathroom. He had her pull her leggings down as he dressed her wound. As he did, Eli kept hitting him on the head with her wand.  
  
"Now you're a monkey." BOP!  
  
"Now you're a fishy." BOP!  
  
"Now you a dragon!" He moved before she could bop her again. She pouted. "Hey!"  
  
"Let me stay a dragon for a little while." He told her. She nodded and he took her into the living room. She sat on the couch and picked up the remote. She turned the TV on and put it to a certain channel.  
  
Ian sat down next to her. "What are you watching?"  
  
"Fairly Odd Parents." She told him without moving her eyes from the screen. She sat still till commercial. Then she smirked and moved over towards Ian. She hit him on the head with her wand again.  
  
BOP! "Now you a cat."  
  
Bop! "Now you a frog-" He grabbed her hand.  
  
"Eli, please go turn something else into a frog." He told her. She nodded and jumped off the couch.  
  
"You're a dog! You're a parrot!" She yelled at various objects. "You're a froggie! You're a giraffe! You're a baboon!  
  
CRACK!  
  
Ian turned around. Eli had hit a table too hard and her wand had gone to pieces. Eli stared at it for a full minute before she pouted and....  
  
"Waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Waaaaaaaaaaahhh! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" She screamed out. Ian sighed and got off the couch. He picked her up off the ground, wincing as she cried right into his ear.  
  
"Shhhhh, Eli. It is okay."  
  
"My-my wand is-is-is broken! Waaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!" Ian stroked her back. He wasn't very surprised to notice that the windows were shaking from the sound.  
  
"Shhhh, stop crying. I will get you a new wand." He told her. She stopped screaming and looked at him teary eyed.  
  
Yo-You-you will?" She asked. He nodded. She finally began to get calm. When she stopped shaking, he put her down. "Can we get my new wand now?"  
  
"Yes, we can get it now. Where did you get your wand?"  
  
"Toys'R'Us." She told him. He nodded. "I have to get my jacket." She told him. He took her back to her room and she searched through her bag and pulled out a black jacket. She also pulled something else out and put it into her pocket before Ian could tell what it was.  
  
She took off her wings and put her jacket on. Then she put the wings back on. She smiled and took his hand. "Let's go."  
  
-Ten minutes later-  
  
Ian learned many things about children in cars. They like to try to take off their seat belts. They also like to play with the window switch. And most annoying of all, they like to play with the radio.  
  
Eli switch it from station to station. After about five minutes of messing with it, she finally settled on a station and began to sing along.  
  
"Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me  
  
I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed  
  
She was lookin kinda dumb with her finger and her thumb  
  
In the shape of an "L" on her forehead"  
  
When they reached a red light, he looked over at her. She had followed the song and made an L with her fingers. She looked at Ian and started laughing. He shook his head.  
  
" Well, the years start coming and they don't stop coming  
  
Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running  
  
Didn't make sense not to live for fun,  
  
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb  
  
So much to do so much to see  
  
So what's wrong with takin the backstreets  
  
You'll never know if you don't go  
  
You'll never shine if you don't glow"  
  
Eli nodded in tune with the music, though her singing was not in tune with the music. She was on a higher octive. Ian ignored the urge to gag her.  
  
" Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go play  
  
Hey now, you're a Rock Star, get the show on, get paid,  
  
And all that glitters is gold  
  
Only shootin stars break the mold  
  
It's a cool place, and they say it gets colder  
  
You're bundled up now, wait till you get older  
  
But the media men beg to differ  
  
Judging by the hole in the satellite picture  
  
The ice we skate is gettin pretty thin  
  
The water's gettin warm so you might as well swim  
  
My world's on fire, how about yours?  
  
Cuz that's the way i like it and i never get bored "  
  
Ian saw the Toys'R'Us and sighed out of relief. His musical torture was almost over.  
  
"Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go play  
  
Hey now, you're a Rock Star, get the show on, get paid,  
  
And all that glitters is gold  
  
Only shootin stars "  
  
Eli attempted to whistle with the music, but only made blowing sounds. Ian laughed at her attempts and she hit his side lightly.  
  
"You try!" She told him. He did and when Eli heard him succeed, she stuck her tongue out at him. He turned into the parking lot smirking.  
  
"Somebody once asked could I spare some change for gas  
  
I need to get myself away from this place  
  
I said yep, what a concept, I could use a little fuel myself  
  
And we could all use a little change  
  
Well, the years start coming and they don't stop coming  
  
Head to the rules and I hit the ground running  
  
Didn't make sense not to live for fun,  
  
Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb  
  
So much to do so much to see  
  
So what's wrong with takin the backstreets  
  
You'll never know if you don't go  
  
You'll never shine if you don't glow "  
  
Ian parked the car and the music went off, but Eli knew the song by heart and continued singing. Ian sighed and opened her door for her. She continued to sing all the way up to the door.  
  
"Hey now, you're an All Star, get your game on, go play  
  
Hey now, you're a Rock Star, get the show on, get paid,  
  
And all that glitters is gold  
  
Only shootin stars break the mold  
  
And all that glitters is gold  
  
Only shootin stars break the mold"  
  
He was very relieved as she sang the last note. They entered the store and Ian had to stop himself from groaning out loud. Apparently, Toys'R'Us was a much bigger store than it looked. Eli got really excited and he had to really hold onto her hand to keep her from running all over the place.  
  
Somewhere between the video games and the Barbies, she let go of his hands and ran off. "Eli." He called after her, but she was long gone. He wandered through the aisles looking for her. He ignored the people staring at him. Finally, he found her on the ground in the book section.  
  
"Eli." She looked up at him. He shook his head at her and she got up and came to him. "I hope you see that something could have happened to you. Do not ever do that again without my permission. Do you understand?"  
  
"Yes, Ian." She mumbled out. She held up the book in her hands. Hans Christian Anderson's Book of Fairy Tales. "Ian, can we get this? Pleeeeeaaaaassssssseeee?" She pouted out. His heart melt and he sighed.  
  
"Yes." She smiled. And tucked the book under her arm.  
  
"Thank-you!" She said. He took her hand and started leading her to the girl's section. The people around them were staring. He smirked at the site they must have made, he with his black, 'bad ass' apparel holding the hand of a small girl in a fairy costume + a jacket.  
  
They finally arrived in the aisle with the wands and costumes and such. Ian stifled a groan when he realized how long it was going to take. There must have been about fifty different wands. Eli was going insane. She could not make up her mind.  
  
"This, no this, or this. The red, no green!" Ian felt a head ache coming on. After what felt like a century, she finally chose a wand. Ian then dragged her straight to the line. She hummed some song as they stood in line. Eli placed the book and the wand on the counter. The young woman at the register smiled down at her.  
  
"Hey cutie! You gonna cast some spells with that wand?" Eli nodded and smiled.  
  
"Yep, I'm a fairy princess." She announced. She pointed at her nametag. "Your name looks pretty."  
  
The woman giggled. "Thank-you." Eli got closer and stared at it.  
  
"Kat-ri-na. Katrina! Your name is Katrina!"  
  
"Very good!" Katrina stuck her hand into her pocket and fished out a sucker. "Here you go."  
  
Eli put it in her mouth. "Tank oo." She spotted some vending machines and smiled. She tugged on Ian's arm and pointed to them. He dug some quarters out of his pocket and she ran off. He paid for the book and the wand. Katrina smiled and handed him his change.  
  
"There you go. Your daughter is sooooo adorable." She told him. Before he could say anything, Eli came back with a handful of M&M's. She took the bag from Ian and pulled out her wand. She tapped his arm with it.  
  
"You're a snake!" She announced. Katrina laughed really loud. He just rolled his eyes as he began to lead her out. Eli took his hand and turned back half way. "Bye bye Katrina!"  
  
"Bye, have a nice day." She giggled again.  
  
When Ian got her outside, she looked up at him. "Thank you very much." She said sweetly. Ian told her she was welcome and got her into the car. He ignored her singing and her spells and drove her back to the mansion. 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Eli: Hey all! Hey X! No Jedi mind tricks! Glad you all liked the fairy princess. Thank you for reviews! Here's another chapter! Enjoy!  
  
Ian quietly opened Eli's door. He had left her in there to play by herself after they had returned. He looked in and then groaned. She had totally messed up the room.  
  
She had littered the floor with clothes and stuffed animals. The furniture was getting faded since she had opened the window and let all the sunshine in. Her covers were falling off the bed. He might have scolded her had she not been sleeping peacefully on her bed, her new book in her hands.  
  
He smiled at the sight she made and walked over to the bed, making sure not to step on anything. He moved her from her sitting position so that she lay on her back. He picked her blankets up from the floor and placed them over her. Pikachu was lying on the ground as well. Ian resisted the urge to step on the yellow rodent.  
  
He looked over at the table by the window. It was covered with crayons and paper. He went over to get a closer look. She had drawn a dozen pictures or so. Flowers, Pokemon, a girly dragon. One picture really caught his eye. He picked it up and studied it.  
  
He made out a green fairy with black hair. The fairy was looking up at a very tall figure all in black. Her idea of him. She wouldn't be far off. The one thing that had got him was that she had made his boots bright pink. He shook his head and placed it back down.  
  
The thoughts of children.  
  
-Later-  
  
"Ian!"  
  
Ian stopped punching the punching bag. He heard Eli call his name again, followed by a very loud whimper. Thinking something was wrong, he rushed to her room. When he came in, Eli was on her bed and very frightened. She pointed to the floor. There was a huge spider crawling on the floor.  
  
Ian looked from her to the spider and back again. Eli's pout went into a scowl as she saw him trying not to laugh. "What?!"  
  
"It is such a tiny thing." He told her. Eli whimpered again as it went closer to the bed. Ian smirked and picked it up. Eli stayed frozen as he opened the window and placed it on the edge. When he closed the window, Eli sighed out of relief.  
  
"Thank-you." He nodded. Eli jumped off her bed and landed on the ground with a thud. She picked up a picture off the table and handed it to him. "This one is for you." She told him.  
  
It was the one with him and fairy her. He smiled. "Thank-you, it is very nicely done. But I must ask, why the pink?"  
  
Eli shrugged. "I ran out of black."  
  
"Would you like dinner now?" He asked her. She nodded. He reached over to take her hand to lead her to the kitchen. Eli moved away from it and took his other hand. He looked at her confused.  
  
"You touched the spider with that hand. It's yucky now." She informed him. He rolled his eyes and took her to the kitchen. 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Eli: I live!!!! Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!  
  
When they got to the kitchen, they both washed their hands. Eli then started pushing him out. When he wouldn't budge, she looked up at him and pouted. Ian looked down at her confused.  
  
"I'm gonna make dinner by myself." She announced.  
  
"And what will you make?" He asked cautiously. He didn't know if his stomach could take a grilled cheese sandwich with something like pickles in it.  
  
She just smiled, a bit wickedly if you asked him. "You'll see." He could have sworn her eyes flashed red. When he didn't move away, she pulled puppy dog eyes. "Please?"  
  
Ian sighed and gave in. He left the kitchen and left Eli to her work.  
  
Thirty minutes later, he heard Eli yell for him to come. He was extremely worried after the various sounds he had heard. It didn't get better as he entered the kitchen and smelled things he could not identify. The kitchen was a mess, as was Eli. She had white powder on her cheek and something yellow on her shirt. And what the hell was that green guck on her shoes?  
  
She had two plates out on the counter. Matching plates of some undigestible mush. Eli climbed onto the counter. Ian picked up the fork she had put by the plate and stuck it into the messy stuff. It made a squishy sound as he stirred it.  
  
"Well, try it." Eli said. He raised up the fork and put it in his mouth. Instantly, this awful taste filled his mouth. He felt like emptying out his stomach, but then he looked at Eli. She was waiting for him to answer and he just couldn't answer truthfully. He just nodded and swallowed.  
  
"It's good." He told her. She smiled. He hoped her iron stomach would be able to stand it. She took a bite of her plate and made a face.  
  
"Yuck!!! How can you like this?!" She pushed the plate away. "I'm sorry, Ian. I thought it would be okay."  
  
He was relieved he didn't have to finish the food, and he was upset that she felt bad. He took the plates to the sing. "It is quite okay. At least you tried. Would you like to have pizza again?"  
  
"Oh yes!" She said happily.  
  
-Later-  
  
Ian had Eli wait in the bathroom as the water ran and he got her belongings. She stripped off her outer layers and got into the bathtub. She played till Ian came in.  
  
Ian groaned as he entered the bathroom. He stepped into the puddle Eli had made of the floor. He looked at her. "Eli....."  
  
"Sorry, Ian." She mumbled from the bathtub. He shut off the water. Eli looked at his pants and shirt and got confused. "Ian, what's the shiny stuff on your clothes?"  
  
"Something that makes then water proof. Dunk your hair." He told her. Eli did as he asked. When she came up, he started washing her hair.  
  
"Ian?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Can Gabriel come over and play tomorrow?" Her question caught him totally off guard. He stumbled over what to say in his mind.  
  
"No, Eli. He can not." He finally told her.  
  
She pouted. "Why not?"  
  
"Because I am sure Gabriel is very busy. Put your head back." He told her, trying to get her to drop the subject.  
  
"Won't you at least call him and find out? I'll call him if you do not want to." She offered as he rinsed out her hair. He shook his head. She turned her head toward him, whip lashing him with her hair. "What?"  
  
He decided to just be honest since his previous attempt at a lie backfired. "I do not wish Gabriel to be here."  
  
"How come?" Eli asked surprised and annoyed at the same time. He sighed. How to explain this?  
  
"Well, because we do not get along. I attacked him a while ago because I thought he would harm someone I care about. Things have been very bad since then." He didn't add that he also had kissed Sara.  
  
Eli looked at him horrified. "You attacked him! Bad boy!" She exclaimed. He ignored her as he rinsed out her hair of the conditioner. She got even more mad and said "Ian Christian Nottingham, be good and get along with Gabriel!"  
  
Ian's jaw dropped. Had she just reprimanded him. He looked at her as she looked absolutely regal in her scolding. She had left him with no words, so he just nodded his head. She smiled.  
  
"Good Ian." She answered.  
  
The rest of her bath was silent. Ian got her dressed and ready for bed. She wouldn't sleep, though, till he read her a story or two from her new book. She fell asleep in the middle of the third story. He stopped reading and tucked her in.  
  
It was hard to believe something that looked so much like an angel could be so devil like.  
  
He turned off the light and closed her door.  
  
-Later-  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"  
  
Once again, Ian had to rush to her room to see what was wrong. Nothing was out of place, but she was screaming in her sleep again.  
  
"Nooo! Ahhh! Daddy, no I won't tell, I won't tell! Noooo!"  
  
Ian woke the poor thing up. She was crying again, but silently. "Shhhh." She nodded and pulled her covers back up. "Eli?"  
  
"Uh huh?" She asked as she looked up at him.  
  
"What do you see when you dream?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Eli, please tell me what you see."  
  
"Just scary stuff." She said quietly. "Can I sleep now?"  
  
"Not yet. I do not want you waking up screaming again. What are you seeing?" Eli put her head down and moved away from him. "Eli, I know you are scared, but you need to tell me what you see. So I can help."  
  
Eli put her head back up. "You are nice, Ian. And strong and brave, but you can't help me." She lay down in her bed. She tapped his hip with her hand to get him to get off. "Good-night, Ian."  
  
He sighed and turned off her light. "Night, Eli."  
  
-Next Morning-  
  
Eli woke up before Ian once again. She jumped out of bed and ran down the hall. She opened his door and grinned. She ran a bit and jumped.  
  
This time, though, Ian was prepared for her. He moved over and she landed in the space he previously occupied. He sat up and smirked at her.  
  
Eli crossed her arms and pouted. "Hey, you cheated."  
  
"And you like to wake me up before the sun." He told her. "Are you hungry?"  
  
She nodded. "Yep, yep, yep!" He started getting up. She pulled on his arm. "Piggy back."  
  
"Fine." She climbed onto his back and he carried her into the kitchen. He put her down on the counter. "Now, what do you want for breakfast?"  
  
"Lucky Charms!" She shouted happily.  
  
"You ate them all yesterday. Choose something else." He told her.  
  
"Toast and orange juice, then." He nodded and made her breakfast. She got bored and started asking questions.  
  
"Ian, were you ever married?" She asked suddenly.  
  
"No." He answered  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Because I never was."  
  
"What about Sara?"  
  
"What about her?" He asked suspiciously.  
  
"Is she married?"  
  
"No, she is not."  
  
"Then why don't you ask her to marry you?" She asked. Ian almost dropped the glass he was holding. When he didn't answer, she asked again. "Ian, why don't you ask Sara to marry you?"  
  
"Because..." Ian was lost for words. How do you explain this to a six year old so that she understands and will not ask again? "Because she does not like me."  
  
"Why not?" She asked, a bit upset.  
  
"Things are........ Difficult." He answered. He placed her breakfast in front of her. "Eat your breakfast."  
  
She took a bite out of her toast. "Ow r ings iffiult?"  
  
"Do not talk with your mouth full." He told her. She nodded and swallowed. Before she asked again, he said "Eli, if you are quiet all through breakfast, I will give you something you will like. Deal?"  
  
Eli perked up and nodded. She ate her breakfast in silence. She jumped off the counter. "Now what do I get?"  
  
"Go get dressed first. I need to get it ready." She smiled as he led her back to her room. She rushed through putting on her clothes. He wasn't back when she finished. She pulled out a pony tail holder and braided her hair into one long braid.  
  
Ian finally came back to get her. He lead her to some room across from theirs. She looked in and smiled. "Paints!!!"  
  
She ran over to it. He had set up an easel and paints for her to play with. She picked up one of the brushed and smiled. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" She told him. He nodded.  
  
"Your welcome. I need to get some things done. Stay in here and paint. Okay?" She smiled and nodded. He left the room.  
  
Eli went on and painted for an hour. She had painted lots of things: Flowers, bunnies, ninjas, planes, houses, herself, Ian, her mother, her brother. Anything her mind could think of. She didn't know what to paint now. She looked at the one she made of Ian. Too much black.  
  
"Ian shouldn't wear so much black. He already made me use up my crayons." Eli looked at her paints and then at the picture. She smiled and carefully picked up the red paint and left the room.  
  
-Later-  
  
"Iaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnn!" She called out. In a second, he entered the room.  
  
"Yes?" He looked at her curiously. She was giggling and her hands were behind her back. "What is behind your back?"  
  
She smiled and showed him. Ian was about ready to kill. She had gotten hold of one of his shirts and had painted a happy face on it.  
  
"I made your shirt pretty, see?" Ian was about to lecture her when he looked at her face. He sighed. 'Well, she thought it would please me. How was she to know? How do parents ever discipline their children?'  
  
He smiled and took the shirt from her hands. "Yes, thank-you Eli."  
  
Her smiled was worth the ruined shirt. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Eli: I live!!!!!!! Sorry it took so long to update. Have so many things going on presently. (Mostly baby sitting, which can count as inspiration.) Thanks for the all the reviews! X, heh heh heh, by the time Sara enters the picture; you will have more story right? Here's the next chapter, Enjoy!  
  
Ian put the still wet happy face shirt into his room. Then he returned to Eli to collect the paints. She pouted as he took them away. She followed him down the hall as he put them away.  
  
"Can I play with them again?" She asked.  
  
"We will see." He told her. After he had finished putting the paints and easel away, he turned to her. "What would you like to do?"  
  
She thought for a moment. "I wanna watch one of my movies. It's in my room." He nodded and took her back to her room. She dug through her endless bags and grabbed a DVD. She hid it behind her back. She took Ian's hand with her free one. "Let's go."  
  
He took her into the Living room. She let go of his hand and she went over to the DVD player. He looked at her and shook his head. 'The child can not bathe by herself, can not remember to eat with her mouth shut, and can not stay silent, but she can run all the electronics in the household better than Irons or myself.'  
  
Eli put her DVD in and then jumped onto the couch. She started it up with the remote. Ian sat down next to her as it started. It started out like a fairy tale. It was unlike her other movies, so he thought he might enjoy it.  
  
Then the main character tore a page out of the fairy tale book and proceeded to use it as toilet paper. Eli giggled as the character flushed the toilet. She looked at his face and laughed.  
  
"It's Shrek!" She told him. He nodded. Then he had to hide a groan when it started playing that song that Eli had sang on their way to the toy store.  
  
The movie proved to be quite funny, if not a bit grotesque. It involved an ogre, a princess, a very short lord, and a very loud mouth donkey that Eli dubbed during the whole thing. After the whole thing was over and the princess and ogre drove away in an onion, she picked up the remote and started playing the games on it.  
  
She must have spent more time playing with the DVD than watching it. She was in the middle of dressing up the gingerbread man when Ian noticed that the sun had set. Then he remembered that Eli had had no lunch. He touched her shoulder.  
  
"Turn it off now. It is time for dinner." She pouted.  
  
"Can't I play a little more?" She beeged. He looked away so that he would not be caught by her puppy dog eyes. He shook his head. Eli made what sounded like a whimper. "Please?"  
  
Ian sighed. "Maybe after dinner." She smiled. She took his hand and he took her to the kitchen. "What would you like for dinner?"  
  
"Happy meal!" She announced happily. Ian looked at her confused.  
  
"What would you like?" He asked again.  
  
"Happy meal!" She said again.  
  
"Happy meal?"  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"What is a happy meal?" He asked her. She looked at him like he was insane.  
  
"You know, a happy meal. You so silly, Ian." She replied. Ian shook his head. He continued to ask, but she only replied like he was joking. And the more he asked, the more upset she became. She was really beginning to get pissed. Finally, Ian fingered the cell in his pocket. It was a last attempt and would be awfully pathetic, but it was better than dealing with a tantrum.  
  
"Eli, wait one moment please." He told her as he turned his back to her.  
  
"Okay." She said, a bit coldly. She sat on the counter and waited for him to finish.  
  
Ian dialed the number and sucked in what pride he had left.  
  
"Hello, Talismaniac." Was the first reply.  
  
"Hello." He smirked as he heard the sound of someone falling on the other end of the phone.  
  
"Mr. Nottingham, I was not expecting another call from you."  
  
"Life is full of surprises, Mr. Bowman." Gabriel, picked himself off the floor and sat back down on the computer chair. So what did crazy gothic boy want? "I need your help."  
  
"On what? Buying, selling?" He asked. "And please refer to me as Gabriel. I know we're suppose to be professional and all, but please drop it. Only teachers ever called me that."  
  
"Fine. Gabriel, I-" Ian was cut off by screaming.  
  
"You talking to Gabriel?! Hi Gabriel! Let me talk, let me talk!" Gabriel held back laughter as he heard struggling on the other line.  
  
"Eli, go.... Sit..... Down."  
  
"No, let...... Me...... Talk.... To...... Gabriel..... Please?!" He heard someone give in and hand over the phone.  
  
"Gabriel?" He heard a high little voice say. He smiled at the victor.  
  
"Hey Eli. How have you been?"  
  
"Fine. Ian took me to the toy store and got me a wand and a book. And he gave me paints and I made his clothes pretty for him."  
  
"Oh, you must be having alot of fun."  
  
"Uh huh. And don't worry about being attacked. I told Ian that he had to get along with you. He was being bad." Gabriel laughed.  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Uh huh." He heard Eli sigh. "Ian says I have to get off his cell phone now. Buh-bye."  
  
"Bye, Eli." He heard Ian take the phone.  
  
"So you were a bad boy, huh?" Gabe asked. He heard Ian sigh on the other side. "You know, she might not be just on a hyper rush. This whole witchblade thing isn't going away, and neither of us is leaving Sara."  
  
"Are you proposing a truce, Gabriel?"  
  
"Yeah, I am, Ian." Ian thought about it for a minute. Having this kid, though young and rowdy, could be useful.  
  
"Agreed. No attacking, no violence, nothing of that sort."  
  
"Yeah, especially the no attacking bit." Ian smirked at that.  
  
"That will be fine."  
  
"Alright, so why did you call in the first place?"  
  
"I asked young Eli what she wanted for dinner and all she keeps replying is 'Happy meal'. What is she talking about?"  
  
Gabriel couldn't help but from cracking up. After at least a minute of pure laughter, he calmed down a bit. "Alright, you know that food chain called McDonald's?"  
  
"I have seen it."  
  
"I guessed as much. I don't expect Irons ever stops by for a Big Mac. Anyway, get the kid dressed and take her down there. A happy meal is what the kid's are suppose to order. Just have her point out which number it is and order it. And these things come with toys, so I warn you, you may have a ride home full of things being shot at you. I think that covers it. Does that help?"  
  
"Yes, it does. Thank you, Gabriel."  
  
"Sure. It doesn't seem like you are having problems with the runt, but you can call, just in case."  
  
"Thank-you. I am in your debt."  
  
"Alright. See ya." He hung up the cell. He turned to Eli.  
  
"Go get your jacket. We are going to get you a happy meal." Eli smiled at him before she ran down the hall. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

-Later-  
  
After they had gotten back from McDonalds and Eli had eaten her happy meal, he had her take her bath. This time, he kept an eye on her as the bath filled to make sure she decided not to play anymore games of 'tidal wave'.  
  
Instead of playing twenty questions, she talked and sang to herself.  
  
"Oompa, loompa, ommpadee doo!  
  
I got another puzzle for you!  
  
Oompa, loompa, ommpadee dee!  
  
If you are wise you'll listen to me!"  
  
She sang proudly, accidently splashing Ian at the end of it. She winced. "Sorry." He nodded.  
  
"Mama was bad, Tony was bad. But one day they gonna be good and come back. And we all go to the castle and live happily ever after. I know it. Daddy say be a good girl, and they come back. I be very good girl!" She turned to Ian. "Am I a good girl?"  
  
"Yes, of course." He answered, half lying. He simply wanted her to continue her ramblings. Especially since they were on her family.  
  
"Thank you. This bandage too itchy. I'm gonna take it off cause it old." She pulled off the bandage on her knee. Her knee had bruised over and was healing. She flung the dirty, wet thing over the bath tub. It landed on Ian's shoe. With a sigh, he picked it up and threw it away.  
  
He got her out of the tub and dressed for bed. He was about to take her to her room when she stopped. "Ian, you said I could play with the DVD."  
  
"I said maybe. It is getting late." He replied. She pouted.  
  
"Please???" He groaned. He was beginning to become a real push over. At least with her. He nodded and took her to the Living room.  
  
She played with it a while more and then started watching the movie again. She fell asleep during the movie. Ian turned the DVD player off. He picked her up off the couch and took her to her room. He tucked her in. She snuggled into her blankets. Was this really the same demon that jumped on him in the mornings, painted on his clothes, and bopped him on the head with a fairy wand? He shook his head and turned off the light. He shut the door behind him.  
  
He had taken about five steps away from the door when there was a huge crash from Eli's room, followed by her screaming. He backtracked with the speed of a demon to see what was going on.  
  
When he opened the door he noticed that 1)the window was broken and 2) there was a man over by the bed that had Eli under his arm with a gun to her head. She was awake now.  
  
"Put the girl down." He demanded. The man shook his head.  
  
"She is the means to an end." He replied. Black clothing, semi-automatic pistol, accent to the man's English. Out of country, most likely one of the rebels of the team who had taken Lily, inexperienced and not well equipped. To take him out would be easy. To do so and keep Eli safe was another.  
  
"She is only a child. What can she do?" He stated as he moved closer. The man took a step back, getting a tighter grip on Eli as he did.  
  
"Ian, he hurting me." She whimpered out.  
  
"Stay where you are, or I will shoot her. Children grow and the apple never falls far from the tree. The world will be better off."  
  
Ian viewed the surroundings. He could not go for his weapon fast enough to stop the man and get Eli away. But he had to stop him before he tried to get away. This guy wouldn't be stupid enough to kill her in the mansion. But he was a young rogue, so Ian could not trust that fact. He noticed that right behind him and Eli was one of her bags. If he took another step back ward he would.....  
  
Ian looked at Eli. Now was the time she could play twenty questions. She mouthed words to him.  
  
"Stay?" Negative. "Move?" Yes. "Now?" No. "When you move?" Wrong. "When he moves?" Yes. "Backward?" No. "Forward?" He gave her a final look that said yes. She nodded slightly.  
  
The man noticed the interchange between them. He pressed the gun closer to her head. "Stop that."  
  
Ian held his breath and took a step forward. "Listen.." The man shook his head. And just as Ian expected, he took a step back.  
  
Eli pushed forward when he did and he fell. The automatic went off, but the bullets did not connect with Eli. She ran over the bed before she sprinted out if the room. Ian was already attacking the man. The man quickly got up and tried to shoot him, but it was like shooting at air.  
  
When he ran out of bullets, he ran to leave the same way he had entered. He had jumped out, expecting to land on the balcony below. He was not expecting to feel something cold and sharp enter through the back of his skull. His body missed the balcony and landed on the ground with a disgusting crack.  
  
Ian shook his head. He would deal with the body tomorrow morning. It was too tiring to do so tonight. And he had to be close by to Eli in case another tried to do the same thing.  
  
Eli! He looked around and remembered she had run out. He looked down the hall and found her under one of the ancient tapestries on the walls. She was crying so he picked her up and started to calm her down. The poor thing was shivering. He needed to call Irons. He went to his room, setting her down on the bed before picking up his cell phone.  
  
"Yes?" Irons voice replied, tired sounding.  
  
"Mr. Irons, an attempt has just been made on young Eli's life."  
  
"Did they succeed?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Good. We had news that two men left the kidnappers in hopes of finishing off the whole line. They left within three days of each other. Another may be on his way. Be on your guard."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Mr. Carver denies the rumor you mentioned, but he is an awful liar. What did you find out from the girl?"  
  
"Nothing, yet sir. She will not talk."  
  
"Get it out of her soon."  
  
"Yes, sir." He heard Irons hang up. He put the phone down and turned around. Eli was sitting on the edge of his bed frowning.  
  
"You lied, I talk." She told him.  
  
"I know you do. It is something else." He told her. She nodded. She was obviously still very upset, which was not unusual.  
  
"The bad person came. He tried to kill me." She said softly. He sat down next to her and she leaned against him.  
  
"They will not hurt you." He told her. "I will not let them. I promised, remember? As long as you are here, no harm shall fall on you." She smiled a little and nodded.  
  
There silence for a moment. Then Eli turned and asked  
  
"Can I sleep here with you tonight? I don't wanna sleep alone again. The bad men might come again. Please?" He nodded. She moved and got under the covers. He moved next to her. He felt her little body next to his and one of her arms on his stomach. He was not quite sure what to do, so he just layed still and waited for her to fall asleep. After she did, he allowed his body to get comfortable and drift off to sleep, not forgetting to make sure he had more than a couple of weapons close by.  
  
He just prayed she didn't kick him in her sleep. 


	15. Chapter fifthteen

Scratch.  
  
Ian shifted in bed. His face kept itching, and he could not figure out why. He scratched again. He tried to go back to sleep but there it was again. What the hell was causing it? Wait, was that giggling?  
  
Ian cracked open his eyes. Eli was smirking.  
  
"Got ya." She told him as she began to laugh. She had part of her hair in her hand and had been using it to annoy him.  
  
"Do you ever sleep in the mornings?" He asked her as he glanced at the clock. 6:23 AM. She shook her head. Then she yawned. He pushed her over so that she was lying down. "Go back to sleep. You are tired." She nodded and closed her eyes.  
  
-Later-  
  
Ian came back into the mansion. The body was taken care of, along with the window. He went back into his room, expecting to see Eli still asleep. He sighed when it was evident that she had gotten out.  
  
"Eli!" He called out. No answer. "Eli, this is no time for games. Where are you?"  
  
"Meow!" He heard from above him. He turned around just in time for Eli to crash into him. He fell flat on his back onto the ground. She was laughing manically.  
  
Ian winced as he looked at her. She had on all black once again. But she had drawn three lines on both sides of her face. And her hair was put back by a black head band with something that resembled triangle cat ears. She giggled.  
  
"Got ya again! Meow!" She said as she got off him. Ian got up, rubbing his lower back. He looked her once over again.  
  
"What are you?"  
  
"I'm a kitty!" She told him like he was joking. "See, I have ears, and whiskers, and a tail." She pulled up a tail that he had not seen before hand. "And I even have a coll-" Her hand felt around her neck as panic suddenly came apparent on her face. "My necklace!"  
  
Eli suddenly got onto the ground and started searching for something. He looked at her curiously.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked as she searched under the blanket on his bed. She didn't answer. Finally, she pulled out something on a chain and breathed out in relief.  
  
"I almost lost it." She told him as she pulled it back over her head. Ian came over to look at it. It was a round, silver oval on a matching chain. He picked it up lightly. It has a cursive capital E on it that had a connecting A just below it.  
  
"My mommy's necklace. She gave it to me before she went away. See?" She opened it up. It was a locket. Inside was a picture of her and a picture of her brother Antony. She closed it again and turned it around.  
  
"My only true fortune." Ian read out loud. Eli nodded.  
  
"That's what Mommy always called us." She told him. She took the locket from his hands. "Ian, you have to feed the kitty."  
  
He looked at her confused. "There is no k-." Then he looked at her and nodded. "Oh yes. Come along then." He then led her down stairs to get breakfast.  
  
Ian took her down to the kitchen. She immediately rushed to one of the counters and climbed onto it. She pulled a bowl out one of the shelves and then jumped down. She went to the fridge and grabbed the milk. She poured herself a bowl of milk before returning it.  
  
"Eli, what are you..." He stopped talking out of shock when she got onto the counter and started lapping up the milk with her tongue. "Eli, stop that!"  
  
She looked up at him confused. "But I'm a kitty!"  
  
"No, you are not. You are a girl. Now stop that." He told her. She pouted, but stopped. She looked back up at Ian.  
  
"Meow!" She said angrily. She sat on the counter with her arms crossed. She was mad and was not bothering to cover it up.  
  
'Tantrum.' He thought to himself. Well, he would never hit her. He would never be able to really yell at her. How are you suppose to discipline when you have no heart to do so? He picked up her bowl from the counter and put it in the sink.  
  
"What would you like for breakfast?" She didn't answer. She sat fuming on the counter. She started rocking her legs back and forth. He tried not to get upset. Someone had to be the adult here. He flipped through the book the last cook had left behind. He found a certain page and hid a smirk.  
  
"There is something here called French toast." He said out loud. Eli immediately perked up.  
  
"French toast?" She asked. He nodded.  
  
"But I do not know how to make it." He told her. She jumped off the counter.  
  
"I do I do I do I do!!!" She shouted. Ian was trying very hard not to smile.  
  
"But you are a kitty." He told her. She took off her ears.  
  
"I'm a girl again. Can we make French toast now?" She asked.  
  
"I am not so sure, you seemed so upset earlier...." She looked down.  
  
"I'm sorry." She told him. "I didn't mean to be mad at you. I just wanted breakfast."  
  
"That is alright. Just watch your temper." He told her. "Now, how do you make French toast?"  
  
She smiled and began to explain.  
  
-Later-  
  
After their rather messy breakfast, which included a certain nameless kitty pouring sugar down the back of his shirt and cracking eggs on his shoulder and decorating his hair with cinnamon, He left her to watch television as he showered and changed. He went into the living room to check on Eli.  
  
She had placed on her cat ears again and was lying on top of the couch on her side. She was swinging her tail around with her left hand as she watched cartoons. She turned her head when she felt him staring.  
  
"Meow." She told him before she turned her head back to the TV. He looked at what she was watching and shook his head. Why did children love these grossly humorous shows about hamsters and cheerleading secret agents and children with football shaped heads (not to mention the girl on that show that had made a statue of the football headed kid using his pre-chewed gum.)?  
  
He stretched his arms. His body felt all wiry from not doing anything physically straining, aside from last nights fiasco. He decided to train a bit to get the edge off. "Eli, I am going to go train for a while."  
  
"Train for what?" She asked, only half paying attention.  
  
"Just to simply train. Stay in here and watch your cartoons, all right?"  
  
"Yeah, Ian." She answered quickly, totally absorbed into cartoon land. He smirked and left the room.  
  
An hour later, Eli flipped through the channels. "A hundred channels and nothing is on!" She moaned. She turned the TV off and threw the remote control onto the table. She got up. 'Where's Ian?' She thought to herself. "Ian!" She called out, stretching out the syllables.  
  
When he didn't answer, Eli started looking around for him. She had no clue where he could be. She could get around partly by herself now, but the huge mansion still confused her. She was pretty sure she was lost when she heard the sound of metal being run against metal, followed by yells of attack. She quietly started making her way towards the noise. It led her to a black door that had the words 'WAR' written on it. It was already partly opened, so she peeked in.  
  
She saw Ian with what she thought was a sword. 'Cool, it looks like he is doing some sorta dance thingy.' She watched him, absolutely mesmerized. "Wow." She whispered.  
  
He finally stopped to rest a bit. By then, he realized someone else was watching him. He looked over at the door. Eli walked in then, looking at him with wide eyes. He looked at her amused. "What?"  
  
"That was sooooo cool!" She announced. He shook his head.  
  
"It is just practice." He laughed when she shook her head.  
  
"That was magic." He just shook his head and went over to the wall to place the sword back. "You're strong." She said. He shrugged his shoulders and she went on. "How strong are you?"  
  
"I do not know." He told her.  
  
"Can you do push-ups?" She asked. He nodded. "Lily says she can, but can't. She always falls on her face. If you can, then prove it." She challenged him, smirking.  
  
He looked at her. It was so simple, why not just play along? He smirked back and got down and did a few push-ups. She nodded approvingly.  
  
"How about clappers?" She asked. "It's the one where you clap before you go up again." He hadn't done those since he had been in the army. He did one, but it was a little off. He tried it again and it was perfect.  
  
Eli went onto to further test his strength. She even had him do push-ups while having what weights she could lift. When she was done testing him, she sat against the wall and watched him kill the punching bag.  
  
Ian looked over at Eli over his shoulder. He could tell she was starting to get bored. "Eli, would you like to learn something?" She perked up and nodded. She walked over and he bent down on his knees to be at her level.  
  
"Put your arm out straight." He told her. She did as he told her to. He moved her body a little and he took her hand and closed it, making it a fist. "Whenever you punch, just a simple punch, you should be like this." He moved her arm back and moved it forward again, showing her how she should punch.  
  
He let go of her arm. "You try now." She tried her best to mimic what he just taught her, but she was still a little off. He helped adjust her and she tried again. And again. And again. Till she finally got it.  
  
"Yay!" She announced. He then showed her how to do the same thing with her other arm. It took a while, but she was able to get it.  
  
"Here, now show me what you learned." He held his palms up. She looked at him confused and tilted her head. He laughed at the site she made. He placed on of her palms up and then proceeded to very lightly punch it, but she moved her hand away in fear.  
  
"Eli....."  
  
"No way! That'll hurt." She said.  
  
"I promise it will not." He reassured her. She placed her palm up and he tried again, connecting this time. "See? Now, you try." She punched into his palm.  
  
"Good." He told her. She kept doing it trying to make each one harder and faster than the last one. She was so intent on making it stronger that she missed his palm entirely and almost hit his face if he hadn't dodged. She bit her lip.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"It is all right. You did not actually connect. Keep going." She began up again, a bit maddened by the way he had said 'did not actually connect', as if she couldn't. She waited a while and then 'accidentally' missed again. He still dodged in time, but now was eyeing her for what she was doing. She went at it again, and by the third time she missed and mumbled out an apology, he stopped her. He looked at her half smirking, half serious.  
  
"Miss Carver, I believe you are doing that on purpose." He told her. She gave him a perfected look of innocence.  
  
"Doing what?" She asked.  
  
"Trying to hit me." She shook her head.  
  
"Of course not, Ian. I was just punching." She answered.  
  
"Eli, you are not a very good liar." He told her. She started to smirk.  
  
"Maybe I was just a lil' bit." She admitted.  
  
"Is that so?" He asked her, amused. Before she could even see him move, he grabbed her ankles and stood up, holding her upside down. She started giggling like mad.  
  
"Ian! Put me down!" She said in between laughter.  
  
"Promise not to try to hit people anymore?"  
  
"I promise, I promise." She told him. He placed her on the ground. She shook her head and got up. She was still laughing. He looked at her amused. She looked back and managed to stop laughing.  
  
"Evil Ian." 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Eli: Hey all! Thanks for the reviews!! Sorry I forgot to update!! My bad, totally my bad! Okay, she, who you have all been waiting for, is coming. So, without further ado....  
  
Eli rubbed her stomach after she was done practicing punches. "Ian, I'm hungry." She complained. He nodded and led her out of the gym. He took her to the kitchen. She sat on the counter as usual.  
  
"What would you like to eat?" He asked her.  
  
"Chicken noddle soup!" She answered quickly. He nodded and started looking through the shelves for some. He knew the previous cook had kept some for when anyone of the servants became sick.  
  
Eli pulled her legs up onto the counter so that she could lie on her stomach. She rocked her legs back and forth as she wait for Ian to finish.  
  
Ian put a pot on the stove and looked at Eli. He really should start asking her about her family. "Eli?"  
  
She looked up. "Yes?"  
  
"How much do you remember of your mother?"  
  
She fiddled with her locket. "A little bit. She was always gone doing things."  
  
"What type of things?" He asked her.  
  
She shrugged her shoulders. "Mommy things. She would talk on the phone alot." She smiled. "She had a funny way of talking on the phone."  
  
Ian turned to look at her and tilted his head, amused. This wasn't the information he was suppose to be after, but he could tell it made her happy to talk about her mother. "What did she sound like?" He asked her.  
  
"Soou como isto." She told him. Eli laughed at the look he gave her. 'She just spoke in portuguese.' He thought to himself. 'She told me "She sounded like this." '  
  
"You never told me you knew another language."  
  
"You never asked. My brother taught me how. It was fun to listen to mommy on the telephone. One time, she even said." Eli took a deep breath. "O irmão, eu não estou tão seguro foi puro. Tem aquele bastard dseu é espreitar sobre. O Antony e Eli estão em perigo grave. Penso sabe meu plano. Devemos parar isto, Fernand. Terá minha único fortuna!" She exclaimed.  
  
Ian looked at her in shock. He couldn't believe his ears. 'Brother, I am not so sure he has been pure. He has  
  
that bastard of his lurking about. Antony and Eli are in grave danger. I think he knows my plan. We must stop this, Fernand. He will have my only fortune!' He tanslated to himself. 'Her mother knew something was going on. And now she is dead.'  
  
"Ian, watch!" She screamed out, getting his attention. He looked down at the pot, and the soup was ready to boil over. He lifted it up and moved it over to the cool part of the stove. Eli got off the counter and went over to him. She pulled his hands down for inspection.  
  
She looked on the front and back for any burn marks. It was quite a cute sight, Eli playing nurse. She felt his palm to make sure one last time he was okay. 'Her whole hand barely covers my palm.' He mused. She looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"You okay." She told him. He nodded.  
  
"Thank-you for checking. Would you like that soup now?" He asked her. She nodded. He poured her a bowl. "Careful, it is still....." Eli burned her tongue and dropped her spoon in pain. "Hot." He finished.  
  
After the burning of the tongue incident, everything went along smoothly. Eli took her bath and then went to bed, but not without a story, of course.  
  
It took an hour to get through The Little Match Girl. Eli kept arguing that the little girl didn't die at the end.  
  
"Ian, stop kidding and read the real ending!" She told him, hitting him with her pillow. He looked down at her, ignoring the light hits.  
  
"This is how it ends."  
  
"But there is no happily ever after!" She replied.  
  
"Yes, there is. The little girl was poor, hungry, and had no home. There was little for her to do. When she died, she found peace and no longer had to suffer. That is how it is a happy ending."  
  
"She still died, though." Eli mumbled. Ian sighed and put the book down.  
  
"Go to sleep." He told her. She pouted as he tucked her in.  
  
"Another story." She requested.  
  
"No." He told her, amused. "Good night."  
  
"Night night, Ian." She mumbled as he put pikachu next to her. She grabbed pikachu and hugged him. Ian turned out the light and closed her door.  
  
-Next Morning-  
  
Ian thought he heard his door open, and opened his eyes slightly. No, it was still closed. Eli must still be asleep. He turned over and tried to go back to sleep.  
  
Then he heard the sound of something bouncing on the hard wood floor. He turned back around and saw that Eli was up, in his room, and trying to dribble his basketball, which she had removed from it's place in the corner of his room. She smiled.  
  
"Morning." She said. She was already dressed, except for her hair, which was as wild as a banshee's. She had on a red basketball jersey with black shorts on underneath. Her shoes, though, were bright pink sneakers with red flames on them. She was using both her hands to dribble.  
  
"Good morning. Now, what were you planning to do with that basket ball?" He asked suspiciously. She smirked.  
  
"Nothing." She said innocently. "Ian, can we go to the park today?"  
  
"No." He told her as he got out of bed. She pouted.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because it is not safe." She pouted again and moved closer till she was standing right next to him.  
  
"Please??" She asked, puppy dog eyes present. He tried to avoid them, but she wouldn't let him. He sighed again.  
  
"Fine. But only if you go clean your new room up. No clothes on the floor or anything." He instructed her.  
  
"Sir, yes, sir." She replied as she ran out the door to her room.  
  
-Ten minutes later-  
  
Ian opened Eli's door and found her room to be spotless. Eli sat on her bed with a brush, trying to untangle her hair. She looked up at him.  
  
"Clean?" He nodded approvingly. He smirked as she got her brush stuck in her hair. He came over and motioned for her to turn side ways. She did and he sat down. He pulled the brush out of her hair and started taming the wild black mane.  
  
When he was able to get her hair out of knots, she handed him a pony tail holder. "Can you braid it?" He nodded.  
  
When he finished, she jumped off the bed and picked up the basket ball. "Let's go!"  
  
Ian looked down at himself and then at her. "In my night ware?"  
  
"Uh huh. Too much time to change." She grabbed his hand and started leading him to the door. "C'mon, let's go!"  
  
"Not working. Let me get ready, then we will go." He told her.  
  
"Ohhhhhh."  
  
"Ohhhhh." He mimicked her and went into his room.  
  
-Later-  
  
Ian parked a few blocks away from the park. He knew it would be easier that way. Eli was walking in front of him, trying to dribble as she walked.  
  
"Agora se daer vocÃª me Isto estÃ¡ como seu tem recebeu ser. Primeiro de todo eu nao o tomarei cheating em mim. BebÃª que pode confio se eu nao posso confiar em vocÃª E em eu recuso deixaÃ¡-lo jogar me gostar de um engana."  
  
She sang happily. Ian heard something about be played like a fool. 'Must be some pop song of sort.' He thought.  
  
"Disse que nÃ³s possivelmente podemos gastar eternidade.(VÃª que o que vocÃª me contou que o que vocÃª disse). Mas se vocÃª me quer tem que estar cumprindo todos meus. Sonhos Se vocÃª realmente quer me bebÃª."  
  
He couldn't help but laugh when she started getting dramatic about it, putting her hand to her heart for effect. She was a living comedy.  
  
"Se terivesse meu amor e eu lhe dei toda minha confianÃ§a o, Ria conforta- me E se de maneira qualquer que vocÃª. Sabeoubesse que-" That's when a man ran by and knocked her over.  
  
As he continued on running, not even pausing as he knocked her over, Ian grabbed him and had him floored. Before he could lecture him on how you treat a lady, two women and a teenaged girl came over and grabbed whatever he was holding in his hands.  
  
Ian backed away and made sure Eli was okay. Scowling, she went over to the man on the ground and kicked his shin. "Bad kitty."  
  
The three ladies laughed and turned to Ian, eyes full of adoration. The youngest one, a blonde girl with glasses, smiled and said "You stopped him. He stole my purse, and we didn't think we could stop him."  
  
One of the two women, a beautiful woman with red hair, touched his arm. "What Missy means is thank-you."  
  
The other woman, a shorter Filipino woman who was also beautiful, came onto his other side. "And me and Jeni here wish to pay you back."  
  
"Spin, that is an excellent idea." Missy replied, never taking her eyes off Ian. Ian was slowly backing off. Eli saw he was in distress and grabbed his hand.  
  
"Daddy, come on! Mommy will be mad if we're late." She told him, smirking a little. He nodded and smirked back.  
  
"Yes, we must not make your mother upset." He turned to the three disappointed women in front of him. "Sorry, but I must be off. I am glad to be of assistance. Good day." He and Eli strolled by them.  
  
"You know he be cheatin' on that girl's mommy. He was all eyeing us and stuff." Spin remarked to Jeni as they left in the opposite direction.  
  
"Yeah, I know." Jeni replied. Missy nodded.  
  
"If only I was the one he was cheating with." Missy mused.  
  
"Yeah..." Spin answered. All three of them sighed.  
  
Ian breathed out in relief as they got a few feet away. He looked down at Eli and smiled. "Thank-you."  
  
She smirked. "You owe me an ice cream now."  
  
"Deal." Eli saw the park and started smiling.  
  
"Park! Park!" She chanted. They crossed the street. When they got back to the side walk, Eli ran off onto the basketball court. No one was currently playing. She started trying to shoot a basket. Ian watched in amusement.  
  
Eli kept getting it short, no matter how high she jumped. She got angry and threw the basket ball against the wall. Ian waked over and took it from her before she could do it again.  
  
"Hey, watch your temper, Eli." He told her. She pouted.  
  
"I know, but I keep missing." She complained.  
  
"You need to practice. Here, like this." He shot from where he was standing and made it. Eli kept her temper and went to go pick up the ball. "Like that."  
  
"You tall. You can make it." She said as she tried again. Miss. Ian grabbed the ball and passed it to her.  
  
"Try one more time, I am sure you will make it." He told her. She turned around and got ready to shoot.  
  
Suddenly, she felt herself getting lifted off the ground and getting carried over to the basket. When she was close enough, she sunk the basketball.  
  
Ian put her down and she smiled. "I did it."  
  
"Yes, you did." He replied. Eli hugged him and caught him off guard. She hadn't hugged him unless she had been crying.  
  
"Thank-you." She mumbled. It was sweet.  
  
"Your welcome." He told her.  
  
"Now I think I have seen everything." They heard a few feet away. They both turned to see Sara Pezzni, wielder of the witchblade, before them. 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Eli: Sorry for taking so long. My computer wouldn't download correctly and all I got where the funky symbols. So I cleaned up and now, hopefully, it will work. Now, without further banter, a nice long post for you guys.  
  
Sara shook her head. Was she seeing this right? Was her mind playing games? Or was Ian Nottingham really getting a hug from this adorable little girl?  
  
Eli let go of Ian and tilted her head. Who was this lady? Eli looked up at Ian. He seemed a little worried. It made Eli wonder whether or not this woman was good. She looked like a good person. Eli took a step closer to study her more.  
  
Sara half smiled as she saw the little girl study her. She really was adorable. She looked over at Ian. "Hey Nottingham, Irons giving you babysitting duty?" She asked, partly laughing.  
  
"In a way, Sara." He mumbled. Eli looked at him when he said her name and then looked back at Sara. A pleased look came over her face.  
  
"So YOUR Sara!" Eli announced happily. "Your the girl Ian said he li-" She didn't have a chance to finish. Ian's hand was covering her mouth and the last part of her sentence was blurred.  
  
"That is private information, Eli. Please keep it to yourself." He whispered to her. Eli nodded and pushed his hand away so that she could talk. She went up to Sara and smiled.  
  
"Hi Sara." She said. "I'm Eli."  
  
Sara kneeled down to her level and shook her hand. "Hello, Eli. That's an odd name for a girl."  
  
"It's short for Eliza." She announced proudly.  
  
"So, Eli, how old are you?"  
  
Eli let go of Sara's hand and put up six fingers. "I'm six." She looked at Sara's wrist and stared. "You have a very pretty bracelet."  
  
"Thank-you." Eli wiped the sweat off her forehead.  
  
"It's hot." She turned and looked at Ian. "Ian, can we get ice cream now?" She asked. He nodded.  
  
"Ice cream?" Sara asked.  
  
Eli nodded. "Uh huh. He owes me ice cream for helping him. Can you come, too, Sara? Your nice and I want you to come, too."  
  
"Well," She looked over at Ian. He shrugged. "Alright, I guess I can go with you."  
  
"Cool."  
  
-Ten minutes later-  
  
Eli sat down in between Ian and Sara as she started devouring her fudge brownie ice cream. Sara had a bowl full of Mocha Almond Fudge. And Ian had some green looking ice cream with gummy worms in it. He sighed. He knew he should not have let Eli pick for him.  
  
"So, Eli, why did Ian owe you an ice cream?" Sara asked.  
  
"I saved him from the crazy ladies." She answered, licking some ice cream that had gotten onto her chin.  
  
"How did you save him?" Sara asked amused.  
  
"I called him daddy and we went away." She replied. Sara almost choked on her ice cream.  
  
Sara looked at her startled. Her eyes went from Eli to Ian and back. Could this kid be.... His? Sara mentally shook her head.  
  
"Eli, how long have you been here?"  
  
"Since Friday."  
  
"And Ian has been watching you this whole time?"  
  
"Uh huh. He good babysitter." Eli told her.  
  
"So what have you two been doing all week?" Sara asked.  
  
Eli pulled herself away from her ice cream cone for a minute. "Alot of alot of things! Ian made me train and then he hung me upside down for a long long time. And also, a bad man came and Ian threw a big knife at him and he fell out the window! I had to sleep with him that night. Oh, and I played with the sword and I cut my knee. See!" Eli put her leg up on her chair and showed Sara her knee.  
  
"God!" Sara said, partly horrified from Eli's previous description and partly grossed out by the black, blue and yellow bruise on the little girl's knee. "This doesn't seem like good babysitting to me." She said accusingly.  
  
Ian sighed. It wasn't as if anything he said was going to change her opinion. Eli shook her head.  
  
"No, he good babysitter. He played with me, got me toys, he even had to give me a bath. We got very wet." She announced as she finished her ice cream cone. Ian tried not to recall the memory, shaking his head a little from side to side.  
  
Sara put on her best fake smile and leaned toward her. "Eli, you have ice cream all over your face. Why don't you go grab some of those napkins and go over to that water fountain and get it off?" Eli nodded and did like Sara told her to.  
  
Sara turned to Ian, obviously upset. "Alright, now what the hell have you been doing to that child?" She inquired sharply. Ian looked at her totally confused.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You know exactly what I mean." She said coldly, leaning toward him. "Why the hell would an adult male need to give a six year old female child, who by that age knows how to bath herself, a bath?" Before he had a chance to answer, she went on. "And for that matter, why was she sleeping in your bed? And why were you letting her play with a sword?"  
  
"Oh my God!" Was heard from the next table over. A teenage girl in a Good Charlotte T-Shirt moved closer to her mother. She looked grossed out and whispered something into her mother's ear. Her mother, a woman with long blonde hair, looked at Ian suspiciously.  
  
"We'll finish our ice cream in the car. Let's go, Benji." The two of them got up and started leaving. Benji coughed the word 'molester' into her hand as they passed by Ian.  
  
"Benji, don't start." She warned.  
  
"Sorry, mom." She said as they left. Ian shook his head and sighed.  
  
"You gonna answer my question, Nottingham?" Sara asked, getting impatient.  
  
Ian finally started to lose his as well. "Contrary to what all of you seem to believe, I have done nothing but my job since she has arrived." He answered coldly.  
  
"Uh huh, and your job is?"  
  
"To watch her until her father returns. He and Mr. Irons had to leave the country abruptly after her stepmother was abducted from their personal estate. I was informed by my employer to take care of her until they return." He stated. "And that is ALL I have been doing."  
  
"The bath?" She questioned, crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
"You were wrong in thinking that she can bathe herself. She informed me she did not know how, so I had to assist, while she still had her underclothes on! You can ask her yourself, that is all that happened."  
  
"The hanging thing?"  
  
He smiled a little at that. "I held her by the ankles for a little less than a minute. She was laughing the whole time. It was play."  
  
"The man she said you hit with a knife?"  
  
"One of her video games." He lied. She did not need to know all the details.  
  
"And the sword to the knee?"  
  
"She consumed too much sugar and grabbed a sword off the wall without my permission. I took it away before she could further injure herself. I bandaged her knee and it is fine. Anything else, Detective?" He asked.  
  
Sara sat back in her seat as Eli started walking back to the table. "Not at the moment. But if I hear you have done ANYTHING to that little girl, I'll drag your ass to jail." She stated coldly.  
  
Eli looked at her for a second, totally shocked. Sara looked back at her and laughed. Eli got really confused.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"You still have ice cream on the end of your nose." Sara said, trying not to laugh. Ian looked over at her and found that he too had trouble holding in his laughter. Both he and Sara went for napkins on the table. Sara grabbed them before he did and glared at him, daring him to touch Eli. "Here." Sara said, trying to stay calm. She got the spot of ice cream at the end of the young girl's nose.  
  
Eli was giggling and shaking her head. After she got the spot off, she looked at Eli curiously.  
  
"What?" Sara asked. Eli shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Nothing. It's just I know now why Ian won't ask you to marry him." She said innocently. As Sara almost fainted with shock and Ian kept back the urge to hit something, Eli got up and pulled on their wrist simultaneously. "C'mon, let's go back to the park."  
  
After they had somewhat gotten over their shock, they finally gave into Eli's request in going back to the park. Eli was holding Ian's hand as they walked, just like she did at the mansion. She was talking to Sara as they walked. Ian remained silent. Due to certain events, he did not feel like socializing. He sneaked glance at Sara and Eli and tried not to smirk. In less than one hour, Eli had totally won Sara over, Amazon warrior goddess visage and all.  
  
No wonder people considered children miracles.  
  
"Sara, what's your job?" Eli asked as they walked down the street.  
  
"I'm a cop." She answered simply. Eli grinned.  
  
"Cool. Do you get to throw people into buildings and put handy cuffs on them?"  
  
Sara laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I have to do that every once in a while."  
  
"Can you teach me how to do that?" Eli asked. Sara laughed again.  
  
"I think you are a little young to be throwing criminals against walls, Eli." Sara told her. Eli pouted.  
  
"I'm not too young. I'm almost seven!" Eli argued. Sara still shook her head. Eli sighed.  
  
When they got to the corner, Eli grabbed Sara's hand right before they crossed. Sara looked at her confused. Eli noticed and explained. "This is what you do when you cross the street. Didn't they teach you that in school?"  
  
"Uh, I don't remember being taught that. How come you didn't hold hands on our way to the ice cream shop?"  
  
"Because I wasn't standing next to you, Ian was. He was suppose to hold your hand, but he forgot." She looked at Ian. "Don't forget next time, okay?" He just nodded and stayed silent.  
  
On the next block, Eli accidentally crashed into a passing older woman. Eli moved aside to let her through. "Excuse me, Miss." She said sweetly. The woman nodded approvingly.  
  
"That is alright, dear. How very polite of you." the woman remarked. Eli smiled.  
  
"Thank you, Miss." She said just as sweetly as before. The woman smiled and looked at Ian and Sara.  
  
"What a charming little girl." She remarked to them. They both just nodded. The woman began to go on, but wasn't far enough for them not to hear her remark "What a lovely family."  
  
Ian and Sara looked at each other and then down. Sara let go of Eli's hand and Ian shook his head as he pulled Eli a little farther away from Sara. Eli, on the other hand, was laughing maniacally like it was the funniest thing in the world.  
  
She looked between Ian and Sara and mumbled the words "Mama" and "Daddy". Then she started cracking up all over again.  
  
Thankfully, they soon arrived at the park. Eli let go of Ian's hand and ran onto the playground. She started climbing up one of the slides, only to fall down again into the sand. She started laughing as she tried again, this time getting to the top.  
  
Sara and Ian were standing in the shade watching her. Neither of them felt comfortable talking, but the silence was even worst. "So." Sara started. "She sure is a handful."  
  
He smirked. "I believe that is the biggest understatement I have ever heard."  
  
Sara shook her head. "She can't be that bad. She's too cute to be a demon child. She has to be an angel." He turned his head to look at her.  
  
"I do not believe that someone getting into your clothes and painting red happy faces on them is work of the angels." He remarked seriously. Sara started laughing, and he smiled just a little, knowing what causes such laughter.  
  
"She didn't." Sara said in disbelief.  
  
Ian sighed and nodded. "She did." He assured her.  
  
Just then, they both heard Eli yelling. "Hey, that's not fair!"  
  
"Live with it, half pint." The teenaged boy sneered at her. Sara started glaring, but before she could move, Ian was already by Eli's side, helping her up.  
  
"Ian, they pushed me off the swing!" She complained. "And they gave me a cut." She said as she lifted up her elbow so that he could see the little line of blood forming there. When his eyes went from her to the two older boys, his eyes just went ice cold and deadly. The two boys both flinched, but didn't move.  
  
"Excuse me, but I believe she was occupying that swing first." He stated coldly. They were kids and not worth the effort to kill. The boys proved their stupidity when they refused to move.  
  
"Yeah, well she wasn't doing nothing on it, so we took it." One of the boys replied, trying to sound like a bad ass, but only succeeded in pissing Ian off. Ian just wanted to kill him. He was just a damn sixteen year old with nothing to do. And him picking on this child was pathetic.  
  
"Give her back her swing." He demanded quietly, staring both boys down. They both backed away.  
  
"Fine, whatever takes the damn swing. But it ain't like she is gonna be able to do anything. The half pint can't even pump." The bigger of the two boys said, mocking her with the last bit.  
  
"That is only what you believe." Ian told them. He bent down to Eli's level and whispered something into her ear. She nodded. She looked over at the boys and smiled wickedly.  
  
"I bet I can go higher than you can!" She told them. They both looked at her and laughed.  
  
"In your dreams." They told her.  
  
"Bet you ten bucks." She added.  
  
The two boys looked at each other and grinned. "Sure."  
  
She nodded. "But I get three pushes cause I'm smaller. And you have to go first." She told them. They nodded as the lighter of them got onto the swing and started pumping. He didn't stop till he was about even with the bar, then he jumped off and landed.  
  
"Beat that, half pint." Eli looked at Ian, a little worried, but he assured her not to worry. He lifted her up onto the swing and pulled her back. The first push was high, the second higher. On the last one, Ian brought her up a little bit higher and pushed hard.  
  
Eli straightened her body out as the swing went up and started to curve. Just as she was beginning to fall back down the other side, she pulled her legs in and pulled away from the swing. As she fell back down, Ian slowed her down so that she wouldn't do so again.  
  
Both boys had their mouths open in shock. Eli smirked and held her hand out to them. They gave her ten bucks and then left out of fear. Eli turned to Ian with a happy smile. "That was fun! Can we do it again? Please?"  
  
"No, I think that is enough for now." He told her. "Why not go play something else?"  
  
She started walking away disappointed. "Okay, but I want flip again later."  
  
Eli ran over to Sara after she jumped off the swing. "Did you see? did you see? I got to flip!" She said excitedly, jumping up and down. Her sugar rush was almost at its peak.  
  
"Yeah, glad to see you enjoyed it." Sara answered, briefly looking over her to check for any new bruises and such. She eyed Ian as she told Eli to go back to the park to play. "You do realize you could have broken her neck, right?"  
  
"Yes, if she did not listen to what I told her. But she is a good girl and did." He was really starting to get annoyed with her. She was all too ready to think the worst of him, and it wasn't fair that she wasn't willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Would you have preferred if I snapped those boys necks? I'm sure that is what you thought I would do." He replied coldly.  
  
Sara was a bit caught off guard with his reply. She raised her eye brow and asked."Since when do you have a backbone, Nottingham?" It was meaner than she wanted, but the spitefire in her stirring.  
  
"Since always. You just never choose to see it. The same way you choose to make everything I do a felony." He replied, both angry and honest. He wasn't thinking before he talked, and frankly, he didn't care. He looked at her and knew she was pissed. 'Let her be angry, no matter what I do, she will be angry anyway.'  
  
Her jaw dropped at his answer. Was this the same guy that had been following her around for the last few months? Was this what he was really like? If so, he had been a wolf in sheep's clothing this whole time. Or was it dragon in sheep's clothing?  
  
Before she could state whatever cold remark she was about to say, they both heard Eli scream for them.  
  
"Ian! Sara!" She screamed.  
  
They turned to look around for her. She was at the top of the spider dome, hanging by her knees. They both went over to her. She was almost in tears.  
  
"I slipped through t-the bar and I thought I w-would fall." She told them. They both got closer to her and she reached out for them to help her down. They were facing each other, almost as if they were in competition. Eli grabbed their shoulders and swung herself down, but not before she knocked their heads together, perfectly getting a kiss out of them.  
  
Eli landed on her feet in a crouch, but the impact made her fall onto the ground. She looked up at Ian and Sara and smirked when they took what she started a step further. She gave them another minute before she giggled at them.  
  
"Now all you need is the tree." She said in between laughter. They both looked at each other and took a step back. It was one hell of an awkward moment. Eli got up and took Sara's hand and started leading her off. "Can you push me on the swings?" She asked cutely. Sara nodded, thankful for an out.  
  
Eli looked back at Ian, who was just getting over the shock of it and was stepping out of the spider dome and smirked. She knew the whole time that she could turn a flip and land safely. But she had seen Ian and Sara arguing and knew that they needed to stop if they were ever going to get married. She shook her head.  
  
Adults were so silly sometimes. 


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Eli: Hey, everyone! Thanks for the reviews! Pray the school computer does good! Here's the chapter, Enjoy!!! :D  
  
Sara helped Eli up onto the wing and started pushing her lightly. They didn't speak to each other. Eli was singing some song and Sara was thinking. She didn't know weather to give Eli a scolding or to buy her another ice cream for a job well done.  
  
That kiss was intense. It was all fire and energy, and if they weren't in a public place with children around they might have....  
  
"Sara, you're not pushing anymore." Eli complained. Sara shook her head and noticed that Eli had almost completely stopped swinging. She mumbled an apology and started pushing again. "Sara?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"How come you are so mean to Ian?" Eli asked, a mix between sympathy and confusion.  
  
"I'm not mean to hi-" She managed to get out before getting cut off.  
  
"Yes, you are. You were yelling at him in the ice cream shop and you yelled at him again after he pushed me on the swing." Eli told her.  
  
"It's a bit more complicated than that." Sara answered, not sure how you explain the current situation.  
  
"What can be so complimacated? I just want to know why you are mean to him." She answered simply. Sara hid a smile at the mispronunciation. 'Why all these questions about Nottingham? Did he put her up to it or what?' She looked over to where he was sitting, watching them. He caught her eye for a second before glancing down. 'Why does he look at me like that?'  
  
"Eli,why are you so curious about this?" Sara asked.  
  
"Because I don't like it that you yell at him." Eli replied bluntly. "He's a good person and Mommy taught me that you should be nice to everybody, especially good people."  
  
"You think he's a good person?" Sara asked, sarcastic hint to her voice. Eli turned around the best she could in the seat.  
  
"No, I know it. He protects me from bad people, he makes sure I eat and stuff like that. He even reads me stories and plays with me. My daddy doesn't even do stuff like that." She answered, a bit sad at the end before she went on. "He taught me how to punch and he doesn't get mad and lose his temper like my Daddy. He would never hit me, either." Sara was looking at Eli suspiciously. Lose his temper? Would never hit me? This sounded an awful like child abuse. Sara was about to ask something when Eli added, "He didn't even get mad when I made him kiss pikachu good night."  
  
Sara laughed. "He did what?" She asked in between giggles.  
  
"He kissed pikachu because pikachu said he wouldn't sleep with out a kiss." Eli answered. Sara shook her head and laughed even more. She felt her eyes watering she was laughing so hard. 'The things this kid can do.'  
  
"What's so funny, Sara?" She asked, confused. Sara shook her head.  
  
"Nothing. Eli?" She asked as she tried to calm down.  
  
"Yes?" She asked.  
  
"Who is your father?" Sara asked. She was curious to find out who this sweet little kid belonged to.  
  
"Jacob Carver. He works with Iron man." Eli told her. Sara started laughing again. 'Iron man. Geez, this kid is going to make me laugh to death.'  
  
Sara noticed Eli had stopped trying to pump and was just letting her legs dangle down on the sand. "You want to get off now?"  
  
"Uh huh." Sara stopped the swing and helped her off. "Sara?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Promise not to be mean to Ian anymore? Please?" Eli asked, a perfected kicked puppy dog look faced in her direction. Sara sighed.  
  
"I promise. Or at least to try. That good?" She asked. Eli nodded.  
  
"Good puppy." She said before giggling and running back to Ian.  
  
-Later-  
  
Sara checked her watch and griminced. "Ya know what, kiddo? I hate to do so, but I gotta leave." Sara told Eli, who once again did her perfected kicked puppy look.  
  
"Please stay, Sara." Eli begged. "Ian probably won't take me to the park again and I'll be up in the mansion place all by myself. Please don't go yet!" The little pout was almost too much to handle. Sara had to turn away to decline.  
  
"Sorry, Eli. I'm sure you will have plenty of fun up at the mansion with Ian." Sara felt like smacking herself. That must have been one of the biggest lies she ever told. What child would have real fun up in a big place like that with only stalker boy to play with, no matter how much he was probably spoiling her.  
  
Sara thought for a second and smiled. "Eli?"  
  
"Yes?" She replied sadly.  
  
"How would you like it if I came over on Saturday with one of my friend's daughters?" She asked, laughing at Eli as her whole little being lightened up.  
  
"Yeah! I'd like that!" Eli shouted happily. She started skipping over to Ian. "Ian, Ian! Sara said she gonna come over with friend's daughter and we gonna play!" She announced cheerfully and out of breath.  
  
He smirked and looked over at Sara. "What will be happening?"  
  
"Danny and Lee are going out of town and they asked me to watch their daughter for the weekend. Una is about Eli's age and I think they would get along. Ya know, have some fun." She explained.  
  
"Are you sure your partner would not mind his daughter going to such a place?" He asked her.  
  
"He shouldn't. Espcially if there is another kid there to keep her occupied. Do you mind?"  
  
Well," He started. Eli looked at him, absolutely horrified that he would say no. He had to keep from laughing. "I think it will be all right." He finished. Eli breathed out, rather loudly, in relief.  
  
"Alright, it's a date then. Oh!" She looked at her watch again. "I really gotta run. See you, Saturday." She nodded at then and took off.  
  
"Bye, Sara! Don't get mutilated by flying monkeys!" Eli called after her. Sara stopped and looked back at her before going into another fit of laughter. She shook her head and left.  
  
Eli started giggling and Ian looked at her sternly. She looked up at him innocently. "What?"  
  
He tilted his head. "Ms. Carver, do not give me that look. You know very well not to tell people that." He told her, expecting her to apologize. Instead, she started giggling again. "What is so funny?" He asked her.  
  
"You sound like my tutor." She said in between laughter. He sighed and took her hand.  
  
"I believe it is time to return now." He told her.  
  
"Ahhhhhhhh!" She whined. "One more hour. Please?" She begged. She was about to give him the look she gave Sara when he turned away.  
  
"Not this time. We are leaving." He told her, trying to be stern. She sighed and started walking.  
  
"Alright." She mumbled.  
  
Back in the car, Eli couldn't keep still. She couldn't wait for Saturday. A thought suddenly hit her and she frowned.  
  
"Ian, will I still be here Saturday?" She asked him. "My daddy won't pick me up, will he?" She was very anxious sounding. He picked up on it.  
  
"I do not believe so. It will take him at least two days to return, and he would call before hand. He will not return to get you any time soon." He assured her, bringing on more thoughts of his own.  
  
'I have just realized it. Mr. Irons, nor Mr. Carver have called to inquire about the girl. This is rather odd for any man, even a rich one to do. I would think that if he truly cared for his daughter, he would at least check up on her. What is this man doing to her? And if it as bad as it seems, why does she seem so..... Normal?'  
  
"Ian?" His thoughts paused as his attention half turned to her, the other on the road.  
  
"Yes?" He asked.  
  
"Why do people kiss with their tongues?" She asked. Ian almost ran over a biker from accidently swerving the car. "Whoa." Eli mumbled.  
  
"Why do you ask such a question?" He asked her, startled.  
  
"Well, cause you and Sara were kissing and I saw you guys use your tongues." She replied innocently, actually being innocent this time. "Is that what you are suppose to do?"  
  
"Well......" He started. For one of the first times in his life, he was at a lost for words. How do you explain this? He kept his eyes on the road, and then spotted something. "Eli, would you like to get another happy meal for dinner?" He asked quickly.  
  
"Happy meal?! Yes, please please please please!" She asked, her mind now off her previous question. Ian nodded, very happy that the plan worked.  
  
"Yes, you may get whatever you want." He told her. She shrieked happily.  
  
"Then I'll get ice cream, and slurpee, and....." She went on and on, which was, Ian thought, better than answering certain questions.  
  
-Later-  
  
Eli spent the rest of the trip happily eating her happy meal. Ian didn't even mind that she was throwing her garbage on the floor of his car. As long as she kept quiet and didn't ask any more of those questions. When they pulled into the extended driveway, she was busy playing with they toy that had come with the food.  
  
He turned the car off and unlocked the doors. Eli jumped out from her seat, almost falling when she hit the ground. He shook his head. This kid was so clumsy. She started skipping back to the mansion. Ian followed her up the stairs. Eli got to the door and twisted the doorknob, which proved that the door was unlocked. Before she could go in, Ian put his hand on her shoulder and stopped her. He looked at the door suspiciously, knowing for a fact that he had locked it.  
  
Something had to be wrong. He looked down at Eli, who was looking back up at him partly confused and partly afraid. He smiled at her, trying to assure her everything was fine. "Eli, I am afraid we forgot the basket ball in the car. Will you be a good girl and retrieve it for me?" He asked her. She nodded and he handed her the key to the car. "Do not go driving off into the night now, little one."  
  
She smiled and nodded again. "I won't. I promise." She said before she went back to get the basketball.  
  
Once she was out of sight, he turned back toward the mansion. He opened the front door and stepped inside. Something was definitely wrong. It was too quiet, especially for a big house full of a million things that go bump in the night. The switch to turn on the lights was to the right. An attacker would probably try to hit him before he got a chance to give away where he was possibly hiding.  
  
He quietly made his way to the neighboring wall, carefully watching and listening for whoever was here to give away their position. His head turned to the left just slightly, almost unnoticeable. It took control not to smirk. There was a plus side to a lack of noise: He could hear the man's; it was too heavy to be coming from a woman, breathing from the left side of the room.  
  
Just as he predicted, as soon as he tried to turn on the lights, bullets started flying his direction. This man was no better than the first. If possible, he was worst. He barely needed to dodge the accuracy of this shooter was so bad. And what type of gun was this? Too loud to be a rifle and too many bullets to be a shotgun. Cheap hand gun, not a real threat. Not to him.  
  
Faster than this man could blink, he saw this shadow of a man right in front of him. Another blink of the eyes and his gun was out of his hands. This whole situation was out his hands, and had comfortably relocated into his opponents.  
  
He felt something grab him by the neck and pin him against the wall. High against the wall. The pressure of it made him want to loose his stomach. He tried kicking out with his legs, only to feel a sharp pain in both of them, along with hearing a God awful snap. He groaned out in pain. As if that was not worst enough, he felt a sharp pointy object against his throat.  
  
"Now, since you have already been impolite enough to drop by uninvited, please have to courtesy to tell me what the hell you are doing here." Ian growled at him lightly, making every word more hateful than the next until the man's shivering was very apparent.  
  
"I.... Here...... Kill...... Girl....." The man muttered out. His accent was very thick and much like the first man's. Now, to which country did it belong to? And why did it sound so familiar?  
  
"Why do wish her dead? She is but only a child!" He hissed at him. The man coughed, but no words followed. Ian lowered him to the ground and loosened his grip on his neck. But he made sure to increase the pressure of the blade he held. "Answer the question!"  
  
"She is the means to an end!" He replied, just as the first had said. What was that suppose to mean? As if reading his mind, he added. "The end to a line so corrupt that even as a child, she is already tainted with its teachings. Incest, polygamy, murder, parricide. And she will be just the same."  
  
Ian's eyes narrowed as the blade drew a drop of blood. An appalling assumption! "It is obvious you do not know her. You were not ordered by your superior to come. Why did you disobey?!" He asked him angrily.  
  
"They wouldn't listen. I.... I tried to warn them, tell them that she would betray them. But they did not. And I have been with them my entire life. And they choose her." He replied, absolutely disgusted. "Always expect them to choose family they barely know opposed to a friend they have known their whole life. But they will learn, that demon will be just like her whore of a step mothe-" He had no time to finish ranting. His neck was broken by then.  
  
Was of a mind to use the blade, but it was too messy. Something he could not hide from the little one as she came in. He quickly tossed the body into a nearby closet for the time being. Just as he had shut the closet door, Eli had come to the front door, trying to dribble the basketball.  
  
"Ian?" She asked cautiously. She didn't like the dark too much. The light in the hallway came on for an answer. She smiled at Ian and threw the basketball at him, which he caught. She closed the door behind her and watched as Ian locked the dozen or so locks on it.  
  
He had her go straight to the bathroom for a bath. She was rather quiet during the whole event, save for a complaint about him pulling her hair too hard. "Today was fun." She said suddenly.  
  
He nodded in agreement. "Yes, it was."  
  
"Can we do it again tomorrow?" She asked hopefully. She pouted when he shook his head. "Why?" He never did answer.  
  
After the bath was done, he got her pajamas and left them with her to change. When he checked in on her, she was leaning against the edge of the sink, trying to brush her hair again. She didn't say anything when he took it from her. Only a whisper like whining as he finished brushing her hair for her. He started leading her to her room when he noticed she was leaning on him and he was dragging her rather than leading. He shook his head. The day must really have had been tiring. He stopped and picked her. If she did not wish him to, she did not say so.  
  
She was already asleep by the time he had gotten to her door. He had the privilege of tucking her in without reading a fairy tale or showing signs of affection toward her what he now considered hideous pokemon stuffed animal, though he did place it by her for her to hold. He pulled the blankets up around her. He looked down on her, making sure not a thing was forgotten.  
  
Then something funny happened. He suddenly had an urge to kiss her, as she lay asleep like a perfect angel. Not in any romantic way, just on the fore head. It felt like he should do it. He shook his head and the feeling faded. It was along day for him as well, and it had not yet ended. He turned his back on her and turned off the lights before he left her room.  
  
Now was the time to ponder what he knew. 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

By the time the body was disposed of, it was well into the night. Ian had removed the man's wallet and had read the identification. It listed his name, John King, his age, 27, and most importantly, where he had come from, Portugal.  
  
Now he knew why the man's accent sounded so familiar. It was the same kind of accent he heard Eli use when she went into what he guessed must be her native language, though she looked like she could be a mix of things.  
  
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Irons' number in. He had said to call him as soon as anything came up, and Ian was pretty sure this counted as something. No one picked up the cell phone, which meant one of two things: Irons was dead, which he knew it couldn't be, or something was going down that was important enough for even a billionaire to leave his prized cell phone behind. What could be important enough for that to Mr. Irons, he had no idea.  
  
This whole situation involving Eli Carver was insane. At every turn, he had only half answers or nothing at all. The little that Eli told him about her family was horrifying, and the things she screamed out in her dreams were even worst. He passed by her room to make sure she wasn't having any nightmares again.  
  
When he looked in, he saw that she had kicked her covers off again and that her pikachu doll had been knocked off the bed and was lying on the floor. 'She must have had nightmares while I was taking care of the body.' He sighed as he started picking her blankets up off the floor. He tucked them back in around her as he handed her back her overly adorable stuffed animal. 'Well, at least she has stopped for now. What kind of demons are you facing, little one?' He mused as he shut her door.  
  
As he walked through the halls, he began to really think of all the things this little girl had brought with her.  
  
'So far, I know for a fact her mother and brother are dead, and that her father remarried as soon as he could. She screams that she will never tell to her father, who obviously did something to her. The most likely thing is that he killed his wife and son, and Eli knows about it and he has frightened her into silence.  
  
But also, I notice that she always says 'gone away' instead of dead or departed. It is like she either does not know they are dead or she is not yet old enough to understand it. But if that is not the reason she is so scared of her father, then what is?'  
  
Everything was quiet in the mansion now, but he did not wish to retire. Besides, if tomorrow was anything like today, he would never have time to sort this out.  
  
'She said her stepmother, Lily, was once her sister. It was also acknowledged in the files that she might be his daughter. What man, especially one with a reputation to uphold with the public, would marry his own daughter? Eli is too young to know that this was wrong, so I doubt that this is the truth she is so afraid of telling.  
  
But the thing that is my concern is if he married Lily, despite her being his daughter, does that mean he would do the same to Eli?' Ian stopped and mentally shuttered. The thought was beyond disturbing. 'Hopefully, now that Eli is known to us, I doubt he will touch her, for fear of our knowledge.  
  
But what of these men? Why are only they after her, and not the whole pack? He said that they would pick family over a friend. These men who took Lily, they must be her family! Her mother's side if they are from her native country. But why take Lily and not Eli? They would not even need to take her against the law; they could win over her custody. And I am sure after the whole ordeal with Lily, they would hand it over to them.'  
  
Just then, he heard bitter screaming and moaning from the part of the house he had just passed. Eli was screaming once again. He returned to her room to find her kicking wildly again, still screaming for her father to stop. He quickly woke her up. She sat up in her bed, looking around frantically.  
  
"I won't tell, I won't tell." She said in between her heavy breathing. She clung to him till she calmed down.  
  
"What did you see?" He asked her quietly. She shook her head and didn't say a word.  
  
Ian sighed and began to tuck her back in for the third time that night. He noticed her nightshirt was twisted into bunches behind her. He had her lean forward and he went to straighten it, when he stopped.  
  
On her back were long slashes. They went in all directions and were numerous. He knew for a fact they were marks from a whip, single, no extra spikes and such. Not a horsewhip, but one designed for humans, one that you can control where the marks will be made.  
  
Eli noticed his sudden interest in her back and pulled the back of her shirt down. She lied back down in her bed and started pretending to have fallen asleep. Ian knew he would not get an answer from her, but he knew already who had done this. He finished tucking her in and closed her door, trying very hard to keep his temper from slamming it.  
  
'So that is why she screams out at night. There are close to fifty marks on that child's back. I am not quite sure on the whole story, but I do know this:  
  
Eli Carver is not returning home with that man!'  
  
Morning came quick enough. He sat on the edge of his bed, unable to sleep. Ian tried calling Irons cell phone many times, but no one picked up. He had also tried to call Jacob's cell phone, but their was also no answer. He knew Irons was still alive, but something must have happened to him. He sighed out of frustration. None of this made any sense.  
  
Then, he heard the door open. He saw Eli peek in. "Ian, you awake?" She asked quietly.  
  
He smiled. "Yes, I am. You may come in if you wish." He answered. Eli closed the door behind her and walked over to his bed. She crawled up onto it and looked at him curiously.  
  
"You look very tired. Didn't you sleep?" She asked. He shook his head. "Why not?"  
  
He shrugged his shoulders. "Night terrors." He told her. Eli pouted.  
  
"Oh. Do you want pikachu to sleep with you?" She offered.  
  
"No thank-you." He told her. He was not found of yellow over grown mice with red dots for cheeks.  
  
"You sure? He can scare the night terrors away with his thunder bolt attack." She told him seriously.  
  
He smirked. "That is alright, he can stay with you." He assured her. "I can not let you get any more night terrors, now can I?" Eli didn't answer. He looked at her confused. "What?"  
  
"I was suppose to tell you something." She said quietly. "But I forgot what."  
  
"Well, maybe you will remember it later. Now, why don't you go get dressed, and then you can have breakfast." He told her as he got up off the bed.  
  
Eli snapped her fingers. "That's it. I don't have anymore clean clothes. I don't have anything to wear." She told him.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Uh huh. We gotta do laundry." She announced. He sighed.  
  
"Alright, bring all your clothes then. I will take you to the laundry room." He told her. She nodded and jumped off the bed, going back to her room.  
  
Ian had been waiting out side her room for twenty minutes, and still she had not come out. He knocked on her door. "Eli, Are you okay in there?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine!" She called back, followed by the sound of someone falling to the floor. He opened the door to find Eli sitting on the floor, her clothes all piled up on top of her. She looked up at him. "I tripped." She told him as she took a sock off her head.  
  
He shook his head, amused. He grabbed her duffel bag and helped her stuff all her things in there. Then he lead her down stairs to the laundry room. Her nose cringed as they entered. "It smells like chemicals in here."  
  
"There is a lab on the other side of that wall. That is where the smells are coming from." He told her.  
  
"A lab?" She asked excitedly. "There's a lab? Is there a mad scientist who works in it, too?"  
  
He had to fight back laughter. "No, not exactly. No mad scientist here." Her moan of disappointment was amusing.  
  
Ian opened the washing machine and started piling her clothes in, not bothering to separate them. "Ian, can I play in the lab today?"  
  
"No, you may not."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty, pretty please?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Pretty please with sugar on top?"  
  
"No, you shall not be entering the lab today. Please stop asking." He told her as he prepared to close up the washing machine.  
  
"Wait, what about my P.J.'s? They are dirty, too." She told him.  
  
"But then what will you wear all day?" He asked her. She shrugged as she proceeded to pull off her night shirt to go into the wash. Ian grabbed her arm and made her stop. "Do not do that. You need to wear something."  
  
"I'll be in my tank top and panties. Isn't that something?" She asked, confused.  
  
"It is not enough." He told her. "Here, go ahead and put those into the wash, I will try and find something for you to wear." He told her. She nodded and he left for a few minutes.  
  
When he came back, he handed her a pair of shorts and an extremely long tank top. Eli looked at the shorts. "These are boy shorts."  
  
"I know, but they will do for now. Just get dressed." He told her. She shrugged and pulled on the shorts. She picked up the tank top and pulled it over her head. She had it half way over her when she started swaying and fell onto her behind.  
  
"Ian, it's too big. It trapped me." She mumbled out from behind the fabric. He helped her pull it down over her. She looked down at herself and frowned. The tank top's front was almost at her stomach. "Ian..." She complained. He sighed and tied straps of it in the back so that it wasn't so long.  
  
"Thank you." She told him. They left the laundry room for the kitchen.  
  
As he made her breakfast, Eli kept turning in circles, falling down dizzy afterwards.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked her.  
  
"Spinning."  
  
"I can see that, but why are you spinning?"  
  
"Because I feel like I am wearing a dress and I'm making the skirt float up, see." She stood up and started spinning around as fast as she could, making the bottom part of the tank top rise a bit. He smiled as she fell back down onto the floor.  
  
"Eli, get off the floor. Breakfast is ready." He told her. She smiled.  
  
"Yay. Food." She practically gulped down her breakfast. She got upset when Ian wouldn't let her start spinning again.  
  
"You will get sick." He told her.  
  
"How do you know?" She asked him suspiciously.  
  
"Because I know." That was all she got for an answer. After breakfast, he had her brush her teeth and her hair as he took a shower and washed away all the grime from yesterday. When he was all dressed again and went to check on her, he found that she wasn't in her room. Nor was she in the kitchen, living room, laundry room, or his room.  
  
"Eli?" He called out, but he got no answer. He checked the front door to make sure it was locked. He checked all the rooms that were around hers. Nothing.  
  
Ian was on the edge of going completely mental from not being able to find her. What if she was hurt? What if she was lying unconscious in one of the dozens of rooms in this mansion? What if there had been another man here that he had not seen and had taken her while he was in the shower. What if....  
  
Then he heard quiet singing as he passed the ballroom. He opened the door to find Eli jumping around the ballroom with her pikachu doll. She smiled as she saw him. "Hi Ian! We're dancing."  
  
He sighed out of relief. "Eli, come here." He said sternly. She skipped over to him, pikachu in her arms. He kneeled down to her level.  
  
"Yes, Ian?" She asked innocently.  
  
"This mansion is rather large, Eli. You are here to be kept under my protection, but I can not complete my mission if you stray away from where I can find you. I am very upset that you went away from your room without telling me."  
  
"But you were in the shower, and I was only..." She protested, but he cut her off.  
  
"I know, but you can not just venture out on your own. There are many dangers in the house, and if I can not keep you from them, you may get hurt, like how you did with that sword. Please do not go off by yourself, all right?"  
  
Eli nodded. "Okay. I'm sorry." She told him. "But look at this room, it's really really really big!"  
  
"It is a ballroom. Mr. Irons has parties in here." He informed her.  
  
"Ohh, parties. With dancing and music and lots and lots of food?" She asked. He smiled, amused.  
  
"Yes, with dancing and music and lots and lots of food." He assured her. She brightened up and turned circles to see everything. She went up to Ian again and grabbed his hands.  
  
"C'mon, we'll dance." She told him. He started backing off, telling her that he did no want to, but she insisted. "Please? Pretty please? Pretty please with sugar on top?" She begged. Ian sighed and gave in. Eli started singing so that there was music.  
  
"Dancing bears,  
  
Painted wings,  
  
Things I almost remember,  
  
And a song someone sings  
  
Once upon a December.  
  
Someone holds me safe and warm.  
  
Horses prance through a silver storm.  
  
Figures dancing gracefully  
  
Across my memory..."  
  
They were just turning circles, holding hands. She giggled as she hummed part of the tune in between lyrics. He liked hearing her laugh, so he spun her around a few times. She smiled and giggled even more.  
  
"Someone holds me safe and warm.  
  
Horses prance through a silver storm.  
  
Figures dancing gracefully  
  
Across my memory...  
  
Far away, long ago,  
  
Glowing dim as an ember,  
  
Things my heart  
  
Used to know,  
  
Things it yearns to remember..."  
  
'She is so happy. It is amazing. Her Father must have done terrible things to her. But here she is, content. As if nothing in the world is wrong. It is quite possible that her entire family is dead, but she is all smiles and sunshine. She is innocent, ignorant.  
  
It would be a great sin to send her back to such a home when she is so happy here. There is more than enough money, there is room. Black hair, brown eyes. You would never believe she did not belong here.'  
  
Unknown to what was going through Ian's head, she let go of his hands and curtseyed at the end of the dance, just like how it had happened in the movie, using the bottom of the tank top as a skirt. She smiled, which made him smile.  
  
"And a song  
  
Someone sings  
  
Once upon a December" 


	20. Chapter Twenty

Eli: Hello, hello! I can see you have all started an Eli's Dad haters club,  
with JW as leader since she had the most....... Vivid image of what should  
be done about little E's father. Man, and you guys ain't seen nothing yet.  
Okay, I've finally been able to remember that this site is weird and likes  
to not make italics so you guys can tell the music from the speaking. I'm  
just gonna put this chapter into the poetry mode thing and song lyrics have  
the little ~~ marks on them. Thanks for all the reviews! Here's the next  
chapter, Enjoy!  
  
An hour or so later, all of Eli's laundry was done. Ian helped her carry it  
up stairs into her room. He shook his head when she dumped it on the floor  
by her bags. She was over by the mirror practicing how to curtsey. "A real  
lady puts her things away." He told her quietly. Eli sighed and went to go  
pick up her stuff.  
  
"Being a lady is hard work." She told him seriously as she stuffed all her  
clothes back into her bag.  
  
"I will take your word for it." He told her.  
  
"Can I watch cartoons?" She asked as she stuffed the last of her clothes  
back into her bag. She smiled when he nodded. "Cartoon, Cartoons!" She  
shouted as she started running toward the living room. She tripped on the  
rug and fell face first onto the ground. But instead of crying, like he  
expected her to do, she started laughing.  
  
He stood in front of her and helped her to her feet. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Uh huh! I flew!" She said in between laughter. Ian shook his head and  
ushered her into the living room. She jumped onto the couch and turned the  
television onto cartoons.  
  
"Which cartoon is this?"  
  
"Batman Beyond. See, there's old batman, and there's new batman. The new  
batman knows how to fly. This is a good episode! This is when Terry, that's  
new batman, runs into the royal flush gang, again." She told him excitedly.  
  
"Eli, if you have already watched this episode and know what is going to  
happen, why watch it all over again?"  
  
"Because it's good. Don't you ever watch things you like over again, or  
read a book you look over again?" She asked him seriously. He nodded.  
  
"I am going to make dinner. What would you like to eat?"  
  
Eli shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't matter. You can make what you  
like." She told him without taking her eyes off the television.  
  
He came back about an hour later to get her for dinner. She was watching  
another cartoon. She was standing up for this one as she shouted things at  
the characters and jumped up and down on the couch. It amused him how  
seriously she acted toward a cartoon.  
  
"Eli, it's time for dinner." He told her. She shook her head.  
  
"Five minutes, please? I'm watching Sailor Moon." She told him. "Hey, c'mon  
Sailor Jupiter, use your thunder dragon attack! Use the thunder dragon!"  
She told the teenaged looking girl in green.  
  
"Very well." He told her.  
  
"Thank-you! Ohhh, Tuxedo mask! Go away, no one likes you! Except for  
Serena. Sailor Mercury, do your bubble blast! Make the bubbles come! Yay!  
Mercury bubbles blast!!!" She said with the character, along with mimicking  
the movements of the attack.  
  
After a long five minutes of watching her insult or cheer on certain  
characters, she started heading toward the kitchen.  
  
"Fighting evil by moonlight. Winning love by daylight! Never running from a  
real fight! She is the one named Sailor Moon!" She sang out. "She never  
turns her back on her friends; she is always there to defend! She is the  
one whom we can depend! She is the one named sailor......!"  
  
"Wash your hands first." Ian told her in the middle of her song. She nodded  
and went over to the sink to wash her hands.  
  
"Sailor Venus, Venus, Venus! Sailor Mercury! Sailor, Mars, Mars, Mars,  
Sailor Jupiter! Secret powers are stuck into her! She is the one named  
Sailor Moon!" She started humming another part of what Ian figured to be  
the theme song. She wiped her hands on a towel and went to go climb onto  
the counter. "Fighting evil by moonlight! Winning love by daylight! She has  
the sailor scouts to help fight! She is the one named Sailor Moon! She is  
the one named Sailor Moon! She is the one! Sailor Moon!!!" She finished.  
  
Ian smirked at her ending. "Are you finished now?" He asked.  
  
She nodded. "Uh huh, what's for dinner?"  
  
"Spaghetti."  
  
"Yummy! I like that! I like that!" She told him excitedly.  
  
"I am glad to hear that." He told her as he put a plate down in front of  
her. She started eating it right away. He turned his back on her for a  
minute to pull up a stool so that he would not need to stand the entire  
time. When he sat down and looked at her, he noticed that she had the messy  
food all over her face and hands. The reason being she was picking up  
noodles with her hands instead of the fork and slurping them down. "Eli,  
you are making a mess!"  
  
She shrugged her shoulders. "I know, but it's the only way you can eat  
spaghetti the fun way. See!" She picked a noodle up and sucked it up into  
her mouth. She started giggling at the look on his face. "C'mon, you try."  
She told him, offering him one of her noodles.  
  
Ian shook his head. "No thank-you. Can you please stop eating the fun way?  
You are getting it every where." He asked her seriously.  
  
Eli sighed and nodded. "Alright! Alright." She picked up her fork and  
finished off the last of her dinner.  
  
Ian then had her go into the bathroom for a bath. It took a full hour to  
get her clean from all of the spaghetti. It was all over her face, her  
hands, part of her arms, and somehow, some had gotten behind her ears. He  
had to change the water once since it had turned red from all of the sauce.  
Eli just found it funny and laughed most of the time.  
  
He had her then get ready for bed. "It's too early." She grumbled.  
  
"Sara is coming over tomorrow with someone to play with. Don't you want to  
be rested to be able to play?" He asked her. She nodded, forgetting that  
Sara was supposed to come over.  
  
After she was done, Eli gave Ian back the shirts and shirt she had  
borrowed. Both were dirty from her activities. He sighed and put them away  
to be washed. Eli jumped into her bed and crawled in under the covers. She  
made Ian read her Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella before she finally was  
willing to go to sleep. She held onto her pikachu as Ian tucked her in and  
told her good night.  
  
And for once, she didn't have night mares.  
  
-The Next Day-  
  
"Ouch!" Eli exclaimed as she felt a sharp pull on her hair. She tried to  
turn around to make it stop, but that only made it hurt worst. "Ow!!"  
  
"Sorry, but if you had brushed your hair last night, it would not be like  
this now." Ian told her. "Now stay still, or else it will hurt."  
  
Eli sighed and tried to be patient as he brushed out her hair and put in  
into pig tails for her. "You're doing two braids, right? Not just one?"  
  
"Yes. Stop turning your head."  
  
"Ian, do I have to wear my overalls? Can't I wear my black shorts?"  
  
"You are already dressed in it. Just leave your overalls on."  
  
"When are they gonna be here? They are coming, right?" She asked him  
anxiously.  
  
"They will be here soon. And yes, they are coming. I called Sara before I  
woke you up to make sure. You're almost done, so stop moving and maybe I  
will be able to finish this." He answered.  
  
Eli stopped moving and hugged her Pikachu. "Do you know the girl Sara is  
bringing? Is she nice?"  
  
He smiled at her tone. "I do not believe Sara would bring her over if she  
wasn't." He assured her.  
  
Just then, the door bell rang. Eli started heading toward the door from the  
Living room. "Ow!" She cried out, forgetting that Ian still had her hair in  
his hands. "Are you done yet?" She asked.  
  
"No." He told her.  
  
"Are you done yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you done yet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Are you done yet?"  
  
"Hold on.... Yes, I am done." Eli smiled and started running toward the  
front door. "Eli, careful, you might-" He moaned when he heard several  
objects fall to the floor. He looked in the hallway to see a table, a  
plant, and a chair overturned. He put them all back up where they had been.  
  
"Ian! How do you unlock the door?!" She screamed from the hallway. He found  
her at the door fiddling with the locks, unsure how to make them unlock. He  
opened the door for her.  
  
Sara was leaning against the door frame. Beside her was a girl about Eli's  
age. She nodded at Ian and then looked down at Eli. "Hey, Eli. This," She  
said, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, "Is Una. Una, that is Ian, and  
this is Eli."  
  
The two little girls studied each other carefully. Eli was dressed in her  
butterfly overalls with a lime green shirt underneath. Una was dressed in  
jeans and had on a bright pink shirt that said 'Girls Rock' on it. Both  
were holding something behind their backs.  
  
"What are you holding?" Una asked Eli. Eli pulled out Pikachu from behind  
her back.  
  
"What are you holding?" Eli asked Una. Una pulled a Squirttle, another type  
of pokemon, out from behind her back.  
  
The two girls smiled. Sara and Una entered the house. Sara glanced around  
at the place and winced. "You sure this house is child proof?" She asked  
him.  
  
"They should be, as long as they know not to touch anything without  
permission. Right?"  
  
"Right." The girls answered. Eli noticed that the adults seemed to be  
standing closer together than usual. Eli baked away from them, taking Una  
with her.  
  
"Careful around them both, Una. They like to tongue kiss." Eli warned Una.  
  
"Ewl! Gross! You really do that Aunt Sara?" Una asked, grossed out.  
  
Sara rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you are talking about."  
  
"Yeah, whatever." Eli answered mischievously. She turned to Una. "Let's  
have some fun."  
  
"Yeah!" Una answered.  
  
Ian saw the look between them and groaned. He had a feeling this would be  
another long day.  
  
The living room was blaring with noise. Eli and Una had seemed to choose it  
for their head quarters in which everything would be done. Their toys were  
everywhere. They had crayons and paper littering the thousand dollar rug,  
they had a monkey hanging from the priceless glass chandelier (They had  
broken one of the chairs in getting the monkey to ceiling.), and not only  
was the television on, but they also had a small CD player that Una had  
brought and were blasting music.  
  
~Turn it inside out so I can see  
The part of you that's drifting over me  
And when I wake you're never there  
But when I sleep you're everywhere  
You're everywhere. ~  
  
Ian couldn't believe it. He had expected that Eli and Una would get along  
for a simple day of fun, but it had never occurred to him that they would  
be a demonic, chaotic duo of insanity. He watched as they now currently  
battled their stuffed animals or pokemon as they called them. They were  
shouting various things such as 'Pikachu, do your thunderbolt attack!' and  
'Squirttle, use your water gun!'. Sara seemed to be quiet amused, until Una  
ordered her Squirttle to do a head butt, which meant throwing it across the  
room and making it come in contact with a vase from the 12th century.  
  
~Just tell me how I got this far  
Just tell me why you're here and who you are  
'Cause every time I look  
You're never there  
And every time I sleep  
You're always there~  
  
He winced as it crashed to the ground. Both little girls stopped playing  
and turned to the adults, apologizing in the sickeningly adorable way that  
kids apologize in. It ended with Ian cleaning the mess up, after assuring  
Sara it could be replaced, and Sara having the girls sit down to watch a  
movie, or at least trying to.  
  
"C'mon, half pints. Let's watch a movie." They ignored her as they sang the  
chorus to the song. Ian held in a laugh as he went to go dispose of the  
broken glass.  
  
~'Cause you're everywhere to me  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
You're everything I know  
That makes me believe  
I'm not alone  
I'm not alone~  
  
They were holding hands and jumping in circles, trying to scream out the  
lyrics. Sara shook her head. "Hey, stop that now. Don't you two want to  
watch one of these movies that I brought along?" She asked.  
  
"After the song." They answered. Eli stopped jumping and looked at Sara.  
"Sing with us!"  
  
~I recognize the way you make me feel  
It's hard to think that  
You might not be real  
I sense it now, the water's getting deep  
I try to wash the pain away from me  
Away from me~  
  
"Nah, I don't do singing, and I don't know the song." She answered.  
  
"Oh, c'mon Aunt Sara! It's not hard, just listen and you'll know it." Una  
told her.  
  
~'Cause you're everywhere to me  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
You're everything I know  
That makes me believe  
I'm not alone  
I'm not alone~  
  
Sara shook her head. Una and Eli went up to her and grabbed her hands,  
trying to get her into their game. "Sara, we can tell you the lyrics before  
they go on and then you can sing them." Eli offered.  
  
"Yeah, we can do that. C'mon, Aunt Sara, sing with us!" Una pleaded.  
  
~And when I touch your hand  
It's then I understand  
The beauty that's within  
It's now that we begin  
You always light my way  
I hope there never comes a day  
No matter where I go  
I always feel you so~  
  
Sara sighed and nodded. "Fine, whatever. What's the lyrics?" Eli and Una  
told her the lyrics before Sara took her turn to sing along with the song.  
  
~'Cause you're everywhere to me  
And when I close my eyes it's you I see  
You're everything I know  
That makes me believe  
I'm not alone  
'Cause you're everywhere to me  
And when I catch my breath  
It's you I breathe  
You're everything I know  
That makes me believe  
I'm not alone  
  
You're in everyone I see  
So tell me  
Do you see me? ~  
  
"Yay! That rocked!" Eli said as she applauded. Una agreed. "Yeah, it  
rocked! Do it again, do it again!" She asked.  
  
Sara shook her head and laughed. "No, no. Don't lie to make me fell good,  
it wasn't that great."  
  
"I thought it was quite good, considering you didn't know the song." She  
heard from the doorway. She looked over and felt her face suddenly feel  
very hot.  
  
"See! Even Ian says it was good!" Eli told her. "Do it again, do it again."  
They begged.  
  
"No, no. Let's start that movie." She mumbled out as she grabbed one of the  
tapes she had brought and put it into the VCR. The two little ones groaned  
and then went over to the couch. Eli looked over at the adults, who were  
now on opposite ends of the room.  
  
Confused at what was going on, she asked "Hey, aren't you guys gonna watch  
it with us?" When they both said they were, she asked "Then how come you  
guys aren't sitting on the couch with us? We can't start it up till you  
guys sit down." She told them.  
  
They nodded and both went over to the couch. They sat on the ends with the  
girls in the middle.  
  
The movie that Sara had put in was "Hook" which involved Peter Pan and  
Captain Hook. The girls, who had both seen the movie before, shouted things  
like 'Bang-A-Rang!' and 'Think happy thoughts!' at various points of the  
film.  
  
It made Sara laugh out loud. They were wonderful together. She was glad  
that they hit it off so well, almost too well. She feared that they would  
start crying when Una had to leave. If so, she wasn't sure what she would  
do. But until then, she wouldn't worry about it.  
  
On the side, she noticed that Ian was particularly fond of Eli. He didn't  
mind it when she used his arm to hide her eyes during the kissing scenes,  
and his arm lingered above her on the top of the couch. 'Protective. Almost  
as if he were her....' Her thought was interrupted as Una and Eli decided  
to try and have their own sword fight with the pillows, hitting each other  
and everything else around them with their weapons.  
  
After all the shuffling and fighting, they finally got the pillows out of  
the girl's hands. The girls now sat on their laps as they watched the  
movie.  
  
Ian could help but notice how physically close they were now. Mere inches.  
All one of them had o do was shift and they would be touching.  
  
Then, in the movie, a character got stabbed and was dying. Eli and Una both  
shifted toward each other to fake cry, which ended up in them muffling  
their laughter. The impulse made their human pillows shift as well as they  
now sat side by side.  
  
On contact, they couldn't help but glance at each other.  
  
TBC  
"Everywhere" by Michelle Branch, who is secretly a closet fan wb SPIN-  
er.... Or at least seems like it. 


	21. Chapter TwentyOne

Eli: Hey all, thanks for the reviews. Please keep em' coming. My finals are over!!! Yay!!! For this, I post more story! Glad you all liked the cuddling ;) Here's the next part of the story, Enjoy!  
  
The movie finished and Eli and Una got up and started bouncing around again. They picked up their pokemon from the floor and started making them dance. "Pokemon dance hour!" Una called out as she made her Squirttle do a splits. She and Eli started singing the pokemon theme song. Sara winced at the sound.  
  
"Hey, can you guys sing something else?" She asked. Eli and Una stopped and looked at each other and then back at her.  
  
"No." They answered laughing. Sara sighed as she took the tape out of the VCR and sat back down on the couch.  
  
"If you think that is bad, try watching the actual show." Ian told her, also annoyed at the song. She looked over at him wide eyed.  
  
"She had you sit and watch it?" She asked. He nodded. She started laughing at the image.  
  
Eli and Una got tired of singing and looked around, they were getting bored. Eli thought of something and smiled. "Why don't we play hide and seek?"  
  
"Yeah! Hide and seek. We can hide and make the adults seek!" Una said in agreement. Eli looked over at the adults, who were busy talking.  
  
"We'reGonnaPlayHideAndSeekNowCountToTenAndFindUsBye." Eli said quickly as she and Una ran out of the room and up the stairs.  
  
About a minute later, Sara finally noticed that the singing had stopped and looked around. "Hey, where did the girls go?"  
  
"I am not sure." He answered as he got up and started searching the room.  
  
"Una? Eli? Where are you two?" Sara called out. After searching under tables, chairs, behind drapes, and under rugs, they left the room and started looking for them around the mansion. They checked the bathroom, the kitchen, the ballroom, Eli's bedroom, and when they had searched Ian's room and still couldn't find them, that's when they really got panicked.  
  
"These are the only rooms that Eli has been in and knew how to get to..... I do not know where she or Una could be..." He mumbled out.  
  
"You don't think they would have gone outside or anything, right? They're old enough to know better...." She added. They both had tight knots in their stomachs. They separated and started searching every room they could go in. They couldn't hear the girls at all. The whole mansion was silent except for them and their searching.  
  
Finally, when they met up again, Sara pulled out her cell phone and dialed 9-1-1. She stood in the hallway talking as Ian went out the front door, intent on searching the gardens and just hoping that they hadn't gotten themselves hurt.  
  
He was a couple of yards from the mansion when he looked back and saw that a window had light shining through it. It had to be the girls. He mentally thought over which room he was looking at and....  
  
"No...." He said quietly as he got back into the mansion and had Sara put her phone away. She followed him to the top floor and over to a grand set of doors. "This room is always locked, so I did not bother to check." He mumbled as he turned the door knobs. The room was indeed unlocked and it did contain the girls.  
  
They were jumping on the grand canopy bed. "Finally!" Eli said as she saw them. "We've been waiting for you two for a long, long time now." She told them as jumped off the bed.  
  
Una followed her. "Where have you guys been, Aunt Sara?"  
  
Ian sighed out of relief and looked down at Eli sternly. "Eli, did I or did I not tell you not to go wandering off in the mansion?" He asked coldly.  
  
Eli pouted at his tone. "But I wasn't wandering, we're playing hide and seek, remember? We told you to come find us." She said quietly.  
  
"I don't remember either of you telling us that." Sara said. Eli and Una were getting scared. This wasn't good.  
  
"But we did, Aunt Sara, we did! You were sitting on the couch, Eli told you guys to come find us, and then we ran up the stairs to hide." Una mumbled out.  
  
Sara looked at the girls and knew they were on the brink of tears because they thought they were in trouble. Eli especially; she didn't seem to be taking Ian angry at her well. "All right, half pints, do you think it is possible you guys told us and ran off before making sure we actually heard you?"  
  
Eli and Una looked at each other, thought about it, and then nodded.  
  
Sara nodded. "You two almost gave us a heart attack when we couldn't find you two. You have to understand, we're not your parents. And if God forbid something happens to either of you, not only do you two get in trouble, but so do we."  
  
"Oh. We're sorry." Una said.  
  
"Uh huh, real sorry. Never do it again." Eli added.  
  
"Never ever ever ever ever!"  
  
Sara nodded. "As long as you two are sorry."  
  
Eli looked up at Ian. "You not mad anymore, right?" She asked him. He nodded and she seemed to be very relieved.  
  
Sara looked around. "So what room is this?" She asked.  
  
"This is Mr. Irons' private bedroom." Ian answered. "That is why it is always locked. Eli, Una, how did you two get in here?" He asked curiously.  
  
Eli dug through her pocket and produced a key. "Iron man left this in the key hole." She said as she handed it to Ian. "Ian, when Iron man comes back, tell him to do his laundry, cause his bed smells funny and has weird stains on it." Eli told him. Sara felt her stomach turn at the thought of what Eli might be talking about but too young to understand.  
  
"Oh and tell this Iron man that he needs to wash his monkey." Una added.  
  
"What?" Ian and Sara both asked at the same time.  
  
"He needs to wash his monkey." Una repeated. She went over to the bed, pulled something out from under the covers, and produced a medium sized green monkey stuff animal. "See, he got dirt and stuff on it."  
  
"Uh huh, and his rhino, and the octopus, and the lion, and the fox, and the wolf, and his bugs bunny, and-" Ian stopped Eli from going on as Sara busted into laughter.  
  
"What so funny?" Una asked curiously, looking at Sara as if she were insane.  
  
"Nothing." Ian said as Sara calmed down. "Why don't we all leave this room?" He asked as he motioned for the girls to get out. Sara nodded as she tried to stop her laughter.  
  
"Now what we gonna do?" Asked Eli.  
  
"Let's play Powerpuff girls!" Una shouted.  
  
Eli smiled. "Yeah!"  
  
"What are Powerpuff girls?" Ian asked. They both turned toward him and smirked.  
  
"You'll see."  
  
Ian and Sara were forced to stay still as Una and Eli pulled up chairs and alternated working on them. Both adults were forced to stand with their backs to each other, so neither knew what was happening to the other. Sara was finished and kept trying to turn around, only to hear the girls scream at her to please stay still and not to spoil it.  
  
"No, no, no girls. Do not do that!" She heard him say, followed by a groan and giggles.  
  
"No, don't touch it, Ian. Or else you'll make it fall off!"  
  
"Did we make this too long? It's almost touches the ground."  
  
"I think it is okay. I think I'll put the pink here..."  
  
"No, is that really necessary, girls?"  
  
"YES!" They both shouted.  
  
"There, pretty!"  
  
"Yeah, really pretty!"  
  
Sara bit back the laughter as she heard the girls back away and announce that they could turn around. When they did, both were ready to fall into a faint.  
  
The girls had taken Sara's hair and put it into two pony tails on either side of her head with yellow yarn that stuck out and looked like it was suppose to be blonde hair. They had also taken a blue blanket and draped it on her like a dress, tied together with a black sash.  
  
As for Ian, they had taken a purple blanket and put it on his shoulder like a cape. Then they had taken what looked like an empty milk carton, cut it open, and had drawn pink lines all over it. To completer the outfit, a black tail could be seen to the side of him.  
  
Both of them stared at each other in stunned silence for several moments before Sara burst out in laughter. Ian soon followed. The girls looked at them and shook their heads.  
  
"Adults are so weird!" Eli told Una seriously.  
  
Una nodded. "Yeah, you'd a think they didn't know what a monkey or a powerpuff girl looked like." She added.  
  
Eli unbuckled her overalls so that they were like jeans and pulled her green shirt over them. She then took out the long braid Ian had spent a good deal of the morning putting her hair into and put in two berets on either side.  
  
Una pulled her shirt down as well, trying to make it into a dress, and put her hair into a pony tail, with a huge pink ribbon on top of her head.  
  
Una looked at the laughing adults and pouted. "Hey, we gonna play now." She told them. They shut their mouths in attempts to stop laughing. Eli sighed, crossed her arms, and started tapping her foot like she had seen Lily do when she was angry.  
  
When they finally stopped laughing, Eli had Ian go into a corner of the room that was suspiciously filled with toys and made him wait there. Then she, Una, and Sara stood on top of the couch as the girls took turns telling the story.  
  
"Sugar!" Eli started.  
  
"Spice!" Una added.  
  
"And everything nice!"  
  
"These were the ingredients chosen."  
  
"To create the perfect little girl."  
  
"But...."  
  
"Professor Utonium accidently added."  
  
"An extra ingredient to the concoiciun."  
  
"Chemical X!" They screamed out. They finished the rest of their chant together. "Thus, the powerpuff girls were born! Using their ultra super powers, Blossom!" Una jumped off.  
  
"Bubbles!" Eli and Una stopped and waited, then they turned to Sara. "Bubbles!" They repeated.  
  
"Oh!" Sara said as she figured out what they meant. she jumped off the couch as well.  
  
"And Buttercup!" Eli jumped off. "Has dedicated their lives to fighting crime and the forces of evil!" The girls started humming off key some mysterious tune. they soon got mixed up, looked at each other, and shrugged their shoulders.  
  
"We can start now." Una said as Eli nodded.  
  
"The city of Townsville!" Eli announced. Both girls sat back down on the couch and pretended to be arguing. Then, they both made beeping noises as Una went over and grabbed the TV remote and put it up to her ear.  
  
"Yes, mayor? What? Mojo Jojo is destroying the toy store? We're on our way!" She put the phone down and turned to Sara and Eli. "Let's go!"  
  
Eli and Una took off, pretending to fly, leaving Sara behind them. when they noticed she wasn't with them, they went back and grabbed her hands to make sure she went. Sara was pulled around, trying her best to remember they were only six year olds and didn't deserve to be mutilated beyond bounds for annoying her.  
  
After 'flying' for a few minutes, they went over to the corner where they made Ian wait.  
  
"Ah ha, Mojo Jojo! We've caught you destroying toys! Prepare to be caught!" Eli shouted. Ian only gave them a confused stare. Eli sighed. "Ian, c'mon, act like Mojo Jojo."  
  
"Who is Mojo Jojo?" He asked, still very confused to this whole powerpuff girl game.  
  
"You're Mojo Jojo!" She said, exasperated.  
  
He nodded. "Well, I can see that, but how does one act like him?"  
  
"Say 'I, Mojo Jojo, will defeat the powerpuff girls because I, Mojo Jojo, is smarter than you. Because I am Mojo Jojo!' " She told him.  
  
Ian shrugged and repeated the line she gave him. Eli stopped him. "No, you're saying it wrong! You have to say "Mojo..... Jojo! Really slow and then fast, like that! Try again." He did, and the game continued.  
  
"You're wrong!" Una shouted. "Powerpuff girls attack!"  
  
Eli and Una both lunged at him at the same time. He caught one little girl with each arm and held their wrists captive. Sara looked at him, being only a foot or so away, and tilted her head. He was watching the girls squirm, fully intent on keeping them that way for revenge for a bit.  
  
"Let' em go." She told him.  
  
"They gave me a cape." He said quietly.  
  
"Nottingham..."  
  
"And a pink hat."  
  
"Ian.."  
  
"And a tail."  
  
"And they gave me ponytails on either side of my head. They're six. Now let them go." She told him. He sighed and the girls got to go free. They moved backwards and frowned.  
  
"Mojo jojo defeated us." Eli whined. Una groaned with her. Sara sighed and looked at him.  
  
"Ian?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
She took a step forward. "Sorry." She said, sincerely, before she pushed him backwards. Hard. His legs hit the toys behind him and he fell onto his back.  
  
The girls cheered as he fell. "Yay! Yay for Bubbles!" They shouted as they grabbed her hands and started pulling her toward the the couch. She glanced at the dazed assassin and mouthed 'sorry'. again, He nodded.  
  
The girls jumped back onto the couch and screamed. "And the day was saved thanks to..... the powerpuff girls!" 


	22. Chapter TwentyTwo

Eli: Everyone loves the powerpuff girls!! Thank you everyone for all the reviews!! Mako, you wouldn't BELIEVE my family. Wizard, I think I'll make you a hat for the part. **hands over virtual hat.** Here's the next chapter, Enjoy!!  
  
After Ian and Sara had removed every trace of them ever playing Powerpuff girls and swore the girls to secrecy, the girls announced that they were hungry. Eli started leading Una to the kitchen. The adults were about to follow when they turned around and stopped them.  
  
"Nu uh! We gonna make lunch!" Eli announced. Una nodded in agreement. "You guys stay here, we'll get you when we're done." And before anyone could protest, they started running off toward the kitchen.  
  
Ian winced as he watched them run toward the kitchen, hardheartedly remembering the night Eli had tried to make dinner and they had ended up with ordering pizza. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and started looking through it.  
  
Sara looked at him curiously. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I'm looking for the phone number to Domino's and putting it on auto dial." He replied.  
  
She rolled her eyes and flipped the cover of his cell phone back down, turning it off. "Don't do that, it can't be that bad." She told him. Just then, a glass object breaking could be heard from the kitchen.  
  
"Don't worry, we got it!" Una screamed from the kitchen.  
  
Ian sighed as Sara bit her lip. "On the other hand, I don't think it's such a bad idea to have back up."  
  
Sara flopped down onto the couch as he fiddled with his cell phone. "So, how long will you be baby sitting Eli?"  
  
He shrugged his shoulders. "I am not sure. I was told that her Father and Mr. Irons would return before now, but I have been unable to get in contact with either of them."  
  
"Well, do you think something happened to them? That they're..." She made a slashing motion across her throat.  
  
Ian shook his head. "No, I would know if it was that. The whole world would. But something is happening, wherever they are." He replied quietly as he put his cell phone away. "Do you often baby sit for your partner?"  
  
"No, usually his niece does. But since she's spending the weekend with her parents, he asked me to." She looked up at him. "Hey, no hard feelings about pushing you earlier, right?" She asked him.  
  
He nodded. "But I am still unsure why you did in the first place."  
  
"Well," she explained. "They were pretty upset when they couldn't defeat you, and I thought they were going to bring out the water works. So I did what I knew would stop them, I defeated the bad guy, and, sadly, you just happened to be who they chose to be the bad guy."  
  
"So it that what I was suppose to be?" He asked curiously.  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, and be glad. You didn't get your hair out to the sides of your head and get called 'Bubbles'." She told him.  
  
"So you consider being called Bubbles worst than being called Mojo Jojo?" He shook his head. "I think you were the lucky one. And you didn't get knocked over."  
  
"Hey, I apologized for it." She snapped at him. "Besides, it didn't hurt."  
  
"Yes, and I think watching you pretending to fly around was rewarding enough." He smirked and looked around the room. "I wonder if the camera picked that up. I'm sure your precinct would love to see such an act, once I edit anything with myself out." He teased.  
  
Her jaw dropped. "You wouldn't." He simply tilted his head and smirked even more. She threw the pillow next to her at him. He moved out of the way, and it collided with Eli's head.  
  
"Hey!" She yelled out angrily as she started glaring at both of them.  
  
"Oops. Sorry, half pint." Sara apologized.  
  
Eli looked at her and smiled. "All right, but no more throwing pillows." She scolded.  
  
Ian tried not to laugh as Sara nodded. Sara glared at him, and he looked down. Eli looked at them and shook her head. Adults were so crazy. "Anyway, lunch is ready. C'mon!" She told them.  
  
In the kitchen, Una was sitting on the counter next to a plate full of sandwiches. Ian was relieved that everything wasn't broken and that it was still mostly clean. Eli climbed onto the counter with her. She pushed the plate to the edge, toward them. "Try one." Una told them.  
  
Ian was hesitant to, so Sara picked one up and shrugged. She looked at it. It appeared to be an ordinary peanut butter sandwich, with peanut butter seeping out. The only weird thing is that they had stuck a cherry on top with a tooth pick. She ignored it and took a bite.  
  
She nodded her head at the very unique flavor of the sandwich. She faked a closed mouth smile and motioned for Ian to try one. He carefully picked one up and took a bite. At first it wasn't bad, and then the mixture of flavors got so bad he felt like gagging.  
  
He swallowed the awful lot and tried not to wince. Ian opened up the sandwich and then looked to the young girls. "What is this?" He asked them.  
  
"Well," Eli started. "Ya see, first we wanted Peanut butter and jelly, and then we wanted s'mores, and then ice cream sundaes."  
  
"And so," Una continued. "We decided to mix them all up. There's peanut butter, jelly, bread, grahm crackers, marshmallows, chocolate syrup, a little ice cream, whip cream, and a cherry." She explained as she picked up her sandwich and started eating.  
  
"Yup, we call them 'S'more sundae sandwiches.'" Eli said before she took a huge bite out of her sandwich. "Mmmmmmmm." She said. "Rlly ood." She mumbled in between bites.  
  
Ian nodded. "I think I will eat mine later." He put the sandwich back onto the counter and turned around to leave. Sara saw him take out his cell phone and press a button.  
  
'Domino's?" She mouthed to him. He nodded.  
  
Eli and Una returned to the living room and started watching 'Beauty and the Beast'. They sat on the couch with their pokemon and sang along with it. They both thought they heard the door bell rang, but just then "There's Something There' came on and they wanted to sing it with Belle and the Beast. After it had ended, Eli smelled something familiar and turned her head in the direction of the kitchen.  
  
"Una, do you smell that?" Eli asked her.  
  
Una tilted her head and nodded. "Uh huh. It smells like...." Their eyes went wide.  
  
"Pizza!" They both shouted together. They got up and went to the kitchen. "Is there pizza?" They yelled as they were still in the hallway. They heard whispering and moving as they peered in through the door.  
  
The adults were just standing around in front of the table. "There's no pizza here." Ian told them calmly.  
  
Eli tilted her head. "Are you sure?" She asked him seriously.  
  
He nodded. "Very sure. Now, why don't you two go watch your movie?"  
  
The little girls eyed the adults suspiciously. "All right." Eli said quietly as she and Una walked back out of the kitchen.  
  
The adults sighed and brought back out their lunch as the little girls went back to the living room, just praying that they did not come in unexpectedly again.  
  
As they walked back, Una looked at all the things that decorated the walls. "This place is like a castle!"  
  
"I know! It's just like the Beast's castle in 'Beauty and the Beast'. Exactly like it." Eli told her.  
  
Una got excited. "Really? Is there a west wing?!" She asked.  
  
Eli thought for a second and then nodded. "Uh huh, I'll show you."  
  
Instead of going back to the living room, Eli led her up the stairs. She led Una to her room first to get a few things. Una looked around at the room, cluttered with Eli's things as Eli grabbed a few things. "Is this your room?"  
  
"Uh huh." She mumbled.  
  
Una thought for a moment. "So is Ian your dad?" She asked.  
  
Eli shook her head. "He's just my baby sitter till my Daddy and Iron man get back." She told her. "C'mon, now I'll show you the west wing." She said as she led her a few doors down.  
  
Una looked through an open door and gasped. "The window is broken in there! What happened?" Eli bit her lip and shrugged as they moved on.  
  
"Here it is!" Eli said as she pushed the door opened. It was unlocked, as always. Una looked around.  
  
"Yeah, this is the west wing, except it's cleaner." Una exclaimed as Eli smiled and put her crayons and paper on the table by the window.  
  
"Oh, look Una, it's raining!" Eli said as she pointed.  
  
"I wish we could play in the puddles." Una said with a sigh.  
  
Eli sighed as well. "I know. Tony used to let me play in the puddles with me." She said quietly.  
  
"Whose Tony?" Una asked.  
  
"He's my big brother."  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"I don't know, he went away a long time ago."  
  
"Oh, why?"  
  
"Because he didn't get along with Lily. And he said he would talk to the TV people. Lily and Daddy don't like the TV people. They say they look where they're not suppose to." Eli stated sadly. "Hey, this west wing has no rose!"  
  
Una looked around. "You're right. Maybe we should make one." She suggested as she sat down at the table and picked up the pink crayon.  
  
"Yeah, good idea!" Eli said as she took the green crayon and helped draw the rose. When they finished, they put the picture against the statue in the middle of the table. "There, now it really is the west wing."  
  
"Does a beast sleep here?" Una asked anxiously.  
  
"No, don't be silly. Ian sleeps here." She told her as she giggled. "Or, maybe Ian was a beast, but then a princess made him human again." She mused.  
  
Una thought about it. "Well, if that's true, then where's the princess?" She asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe she's in hiding cause it's a secret." Eli suggested.  
  
Una nodded. "Oh!" She exclaimed. "My Daddy once made fun of Auntie Sara because he says her name means 'Princess' and she acts nothing like a princess. Do you think....?"  
  
Eli nodded. "Of course! Sara! He likes her, he told me! Wow, they're a fairy tale!" The little girls then laughed, knowing how silly it all sounded. Eli went over to the closet and opened it.  
  
"Eli, whatcha doin'?" Una asked curiously.  
  
"I'm gonna dress up like a boy." Eli announced as she pulled a pair of combat boots out from the closet. "Whoa, there are heavy." She groaned as she pulled them up next to the bed.  
  
"Those are too big for you!" Una told her as Eli climbed onto the bed.  
  
"So, I can try to wear them." Eli announced as she slipped off the bed and into the boots. She giggled as she touched the tops. They went up her legs onto her tighs. She tried to move forward, but couldn't. "Uh oh...." She muttered as she tried to move again, and failed.  
  
"What?" Una asked.  
  
"I can't move!" Eli exclaimed. "Help me!"  
  
Una grabbed her hands and pulled. Eli fell forward, falling out of the boots and onto the floor. She giggled as got up. "I don't like boots." She said, and then yawned.  
  
"Are you tired?" Una asked her.  
  
"No, are you?" Eli asked her. She shook her head. "Okay, then let's draw pictures."  
  
"Yeah!" Una agreed.  
  
-Later-  
  
About half an hour later, the adults found the girls asleep at the table in Ian's room. It looked as if they had been drawing and then fell asleep. Sara looked at he little girls work carefully. The one that Una had been working on had a big black figure person, and a smaller green one with a big heart drawn around them. Sara bit her lip. Then she took it, folded it, and stuffed it into her pocket.  
  
"What was that?" Ian asked her as he gathered up Eli's things to take back to her room.  
  
Sara shrugged. "Nothing, just a picture that I think she wanted to go to her mom and dad. Do you think we should let them take a nap?"  
  
He nodded as he put her crayons and papers into his jacket pocket to later put back into her room. All except the picture of the rose, that one he decided to keep there. He shook Eli's shoulder. "Eli? Wake up so you can go to your room." He told her quietly.  
  
Eli mumbled and shook her head. He sighed, and with one quick motion, picked her up off her chair. He turned to Sara. "Can you get Una?" She nodded and picked up the other little girl. He led her out of his room and into Eli's, where he dropped the little girl off on one side of the bed. When he set her down, she moaned and mumbled something that Sara couldn't make out. Ian nodded and turned to Sara. "I'll be right back."  
  
Sara put Una on the other side of the bed and pulled the covers up and over both girls. Ian returned, the pikachu and squirttle in hands. He put the squirttle next to Una and gave Eli her pikachu, which she immediately snuggled into. He tucked her in, even though Sara already had. She noticed the little action and smirked.  
  
"Well, they certainly look like angels now that they're asleep." She said. He nodded. "Didn't know kids could be so deceiving." She joked.  
  
He smirked. "I know. Let's let them sleep." He said as they left the room and closed the door. 


	23. Chapter TwentyThree

Eli woke up and stretched. She looked around herself in confusion. She didn't remembering going back to her room. She looked to her side and saw Una start to wake up. She got from under the covers and shook Una. "C'mon, time to get up." She told her.  
  
"Five more minutes." She mumbled as she turned over.  
  
She shook her head. "No, Una. Get up now! It's still raining, and we can go play in the puddles!" She told her. Una sprung up immediately.  
  
"Okay, okay." She said excitedly.  
  
The two little girls got out of the bed and started toward the door. Eli grabbed her black sweater and threw it on. She gave another one to Una, who put it on. "Sh." She told Una as they quietly opened the door and went down the hall. They tipped toed down the stairs and heard the adults talking in then Living room. They saw only a glance of them sitting together on the couch as they came down the stairs.  
  
They silently crept to the front door. Eli stood on her tip toes and fumbled with the locks until each one quietly clicked and unlocked the door. She smirked as the door swung open. They saw the rain pouring and ran out into it, leaving the door open.  
  
Outside, they shrieked, knowing that the adults were too far away to hear them. They held hands and turned round and round, getting soaked. "It's raining, it's pouring, and the old man is snoring. He got out of bed and bumped his head, and couldn't get up in the morning!" They yelled. "Rain, rain, stay, stay, stay. And come again everyday. Una and Eli want to play! Rain, rain, stay, stay!"  
  
The laughed as every inch of them was wet. They started jumping in circles as they went round and round. "Ring around the rosie, pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down!" They screamed out as the fell into the puddle they had been jumping in.  
  
Una scooped up some of the muddy water and flung it at Eli. She stopped laughing and flung some back. Soon, they were in a water/mud flinging war as they tried to peg each other. After about fifteen minutes of this, they both stopped because they found out that jumping in the puddles was funnier and cleaner.  
  
They both tried out some elaborate jumps, like ballet leaps and hop frogs, but then they stopped because they were both now shivering from the cold.  
  
Una hugged her arms. "Let's go back inside now." She said as she rubbed her arms up and down to warm them up. Eli nodded.  
  
They ran back into the mansion and shut the door, remembering not to slam it. They sat down against the door once they had it shut and removed their shoes, socks, and sweaters. Una pouted. "What will I do for clothes?" She whispered as she looked down on the wet clothes that were clinging to her.  
  
"Don't worry; you can borrow some of mine." Eli whispered back. Soaking, they started their way back to Eli's room.  
  
They were extra quiet as they passed the adults. They were on the third step when they peeked in at the adults. Both girls shrank back out of shock. Eli looked to Una.  
  
"Should they be doing that?" She whispered. Una shrugged her shoulders.  
  
Sickly fascinated, both girls came back down the stairs and slowly came into the Living room. Both adults were oblivious to the little girls. They stopped at just pass the door and kept staring for another minute.  
  
Eli tilted her head, confused. "Don't you guys need to breath?" She asked them.  
  
Both adults broke apart suddenly at the voice. They were both breathless and panting. Sara wasn't sure how they had ended up like this. One minute they were talking, the next they were just making out and..... 'Ah, my head hurts' she thought to herself.  
  
They turned toward the girls, who were staring at them as if they were insane. "What were you guys doing?" Eli asked.  
  
Before either Ian or Sara could mumble something out, Una cut in.  
  
"I know, they were doing mouth to mouth recesisumation." She answered loudly.  
  
Ian looked at the little one. "Recesisumation?" He asked. She nodded.  
  
"Uh huh, I saw mommy and Daddy doing the same thing when Midja brought me home from school, and that's what Daddy said they were doing." Una told them as she giggled. "But Midja calls it was tonsil hockey."  
  
That made both her and Eli start laughing until there were tears in their eyes. All it took was one little whisper of 'tonsil hockey' and they started laughing all over again. The adults shook their heads at them, grateful they didn't know what had actually occurred.  
  
Ian noticed that they were wet and his eyes narrowed. "How come you two are soaking wet?" He asked them.  
  
They stopped laughing and looked at each other. "We were playing outside in the rain." Eli said honestly.  
  
He groaned and looked at her seriously. "Eli, didn't I tell you that you were not suppose to go off by yourselves?" He asked sternly.  
  
"But we-" She tried to argue.  
  
"Answer the question." He told her.  
  
"Yes, you said not to go off by ourselves." She said quietly as she put her head down.  
  
"Exactly. What do I have to do to make you understand how dangerous it is for you to go off by yourself?" He shook his head. "You two go up stairs and put on some dry clothes. And after you are done, I want you two to stay in there until I tell you you can come out. And I better not hear any yelling or screaming." He told them.  
  
They nodded. "Yes, Ian." They mumbled. They walked out, nut not before he caught a glimpse of Eli's face. She was crying, but he could tell she was trying not to. After they had left the room he sighed and sat down.  
  
Sara sat down next to him. "Hey, it had to be done, and you did it better than I could have." She told him.  
  
"She was crying." He said sadly.  
  
Sara shrugged. "Just crocodile tears. Don't worry, she won't hate you forever, and I doubt she can keep angry for long." She assured him and then sighed. "That little girl loves everyone, that's why she gets everyone to love her."  
  
Ian thought about for a second, and then nodded. "Yeah, you're right. She really does love everybody, and that does make her loveable." He agreed. "Thanks."  
  
"Anytime."  
  
-Later-  
  
"Say say my enemy  
  
Come out and fight with me  
  
And bring your weapons three  
  
Climb up my torture tree  
  
Slide down my razor blade  
  
Into my snake pit  
  
And we'll be enemies  
  
Forever more,  
  
One Two Three Four."  
  
The girls were whispering their hand games from on top of Eli's bed. They had been stuck in her room for a little over an hour. After changing their clothes, the girls had quietly just sat around whispering, not sure if they would get in trouble for playing. Now, they were silently clapping hands and waiting to be released.  
  
"Oh little enemy  
  
Come out and fight with me  
  
Bring out your bee-bee gun  
  
And we'll have so much fun  
  
I'll shoot your eye out  
  
And let you bleed to death  
  
And we'll be enemi-"  
  
They heard steps in the hallway and stopped. They separated onto different sides of the bed, backs toward each other. The door opened and they both looked over to the person standing there.  
  
"I was sent to relieve you of your punishment." Sara smirked and shook her head. "I know you two weren't like this the whole time." She said as she came in. The girls tried to look innocent, but glanced at each other and started giggling. Sara came over and tapped the top of Una's head. "Let's go grab your stuff. We have to go."  
  
Una stopped giggling and looked up to Sara, wide eyed in sorrow. "No, no, no, not yet! Auntie Sara, can't we stay longer?" She begged.  
  
"It's late, and I have to get you back to my apartment in time to get some dinner for us." She told her.  
  
Una shook her head. "Can't we eat here? We have left overs from lunch! Please, I don't want to go yet."  
  
"Una-"  
  
"Can't you guys sleep over?" Eli asked as she stood up on the bed. Una and Sara turned to her. "We could have a slumber party!" She said excitedly.  
  
"Yeah!" Una agreed. "Can we, Auntie Sara, please, please, please, please!" The little girl pleaded as Eli jumped off the bed and ran out the door and over to the stair railing.  
  
"Iaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!" She screamed out. She ran back into her room. "He'll be coming." She told them.  
  
When Ian came into her room, he looked at Eli sternly. "I's prefer it if you did not try to break the windows. Now, what do you want?"  
  
She pouted. "Ian...." She said sweetly, making him want to wince. "Can Me and Una have a slumber party tonight?" She paused for a second to put on her puppy dog look. "Please?"  
  
He took a deep breath. It wasn't right for kids to have this much of an influence over adults with just facial expressions. He made the mistake of glancing over at Una and saw her look as well. Ugh, if children could be angels, they certainly could be demons. "Sure, fine. As long as it's okay with Sara." He told her.  
  
They turned to Sara. "Please? Please? Please? Please? Please?" They begged together.  
  
She sighed. She was no more immune to puppy dog looks than Ian was. "All right. I guess." She answered.  
  
"Yay!" The girls cheered as they jumped up and down in joy. "We're gonna have a slumber party! We're gonna have a slumber party!"  
  
Just then, the little girl's stomachs growled. Eli bit her lip and stopped jumping. "I have a rumbly in my tummy. Maybe we should eat the left overs from lunch now..."  
  
"No!" The adults shouted at the same time. The girls looked at them curiously.  
  
Sara cleared her throat. "What we mean is... It's a party, right? So, we should get pizza or something like that." She told them, trying hard to cover up with her lie.  
  
Una smiled. "Yeah, pizza!" Eli agreed. They would have pizza. The very relieved adults then escorted the girls down to the living room to occupy them with cartoons while they waited for the pizza to come.  
  
-Later-  
  
The pizza was demolished upon arrival. The girls had all ready taken pieces out before it had reached the kitchen. They had been sitting quietly on top of the counter. That is, until Eli had looked up at the clock and turned to Una and mumbled  
  
"Ick is on!!" Una looked at the clock and nodded.  
  
"Et's go!" With that, both girls jumped off the counter. Eli landed off and fell forward. But before Ian could even ask her if she was okay, she was up and running. Una ran back and quickly grabbed the last piece of pizza, stuffing her previous piece into her mouth before running off.  
  
Ian and Sara looked at each other, confused, before they went after them. The girls were in the living room fumbling with the remote, getting grease everywhere. They hadn't bothered to sit on the couch, but instead were sitting on the floor directly in front of the TV.  
  
"Hey, half pints, what's with all this?" Eli, whose mouth was full of pizza, tried to explain it to Sara as she flipped through the channels. She finally gulped everything in her mouth down.  
  
"Snick is on! We wanna watch All That and Amanda show!" She told her as she got to NickToons. "Yay, we haven't missed it!"  
  
Ian shook his head at them. "Do all children do this?" He asked Sara. She shrugged. "More or less. Hey, at least they will be giving us less grief." She told him as she sat down on the couch, him following her.  
  
Just then, the show started. And to the horror of both adults, they found out that both girls had a thing for singing off tune. "Ohhhhhhhhhh, All thaaaaaaaaaat! This is All That, this is Allllllllllllllll THAT!" They sang along. When it go to the rapping, they started cheering or booing the actors in the show. Then, the chorus came back up an they were singing again, the windows starting to rattle from all the noise.  
  
Just before Ian thought he would go deaf, the beginning credits ended and the show started, much to his relief. Sara, on the other hand, thought it was adorable and just laughed. She glanced at him. "What's wrong?"  
  
He shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing." He said  
  
The show turned out to be a PG version of Saturday Night Live, with certain segments that must have been a regular event, since the girls would shout things out with the TV. They kept saying 'It's coming soon, it's coming soon!' And when it did come, they were practically bouncing.  
  
"It's time for Ask Ashley!" The TV announced.  
  
"Yay!!" They said as their eyes got big as plates and remained glued to the screen, talking with the character. "Thhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaatttttt's Me!" The whole point of the skit was a teenage girl giving out advice to people who wrote to her show. She would read a letter, and then scream at the person who wrote the letter at the top of her lungs like a PMS-ing woman who couldn't find chocolate.  
  
Ian was not amused by 'Ashley' and was all too relieved when they got to the musical guest. 'That actress, Amanda what ever her last name is, must be the most annoying person I have ever seen. Thank any higher beings that the show is over and that I will not have to watch her again!' He thought to himself, a bit too soon.  
  
"Welcome to the Amanda Show!!!!! Amanda, manda, manda, manda! Amanda, manda, manda, The Amanda Show!"  
  
The poor assassin couldn't keep from groaning. It was loud enough to get the girls attention and made them turn around. "What's wrong?" Eli asked curiously. "Do you have a tummy ache? Cause it sound like you have a tummy ache."  
  
"No, but would you mind watching something else?" He asked her calmly, trying not to pay attention to the annoying screaming thing on the TV screen.  
  
Both girls pouted. "But it's a new episode...." Eli argued, getting close to tears. Una's lip was trembling and it was only a matter of moments before they would get to water works from both girls.  
  
Sara was in no mood for glass shattering crying and looked around, spotting Una's backpack. "Hey, Una, didn't you bring a movie to watch?" She asked her.  
  
"Oh yeah, I brought Mulan with me. Wanna watch that instead? I even brought pop corn." She told Eli as she reached for her back pack.  
  
"Oh, oh, pop corn! Yeah, we can eat it as we watch the movie. Let's pop it now!" Una pulled the pop corn out of her over stuffed back pack and they went to go pop it in the kitchen, when Sara went after then and grabbed them by the back of their shirts to make them stop. "No popping for you two."  
  
"Why not, Auntie Sara?" Una asked, everyone in the room, the other adult included, looking at her in confusion.  
  
She turned to Ian. "Um, Microwave, a machine that melts stuff in the hands of destructive little ones?" He nodded and took it from her.  
  
As he left, the girls pouted. "Hey, why don't you watch a bit more of your show?" The girls looked back at the screen. Una sighed. "Okay." she said half hearted as the went over to the couch to watch TV.  
  
When Ian returned, they had all ready put the movie in. The girls both practically attacked him when he came in with the pop corn. He had them sit down at the fancy coffee table that was all ready ruined from Eli's food binge the Saturday prior. He gave them the bag and told them not to get it everywhere and hoped for the best.  
  
"This is what you give me to work with?  
  
Well, honey, I've seen worse  
  
We're going to turn this sow's ear  
  
Into a silk purse  
  
We'll have you  
  
Washed and dried  
  
Primped and polished till you glow with pride  
  
Trust my recipe for instant bride  
  
You'll bring honor to us all"  
  
The girls sat on opposite sides of the table, trying to get pop corn into each other's mouths. Eli hit Una's forehead. Una smirked and they got themselves into a pop corn war.  
  
"Wait and see  
  
When we're through  
  
Boys will gladly go to war for you  
  
With good fortune and a great hairdo  
  
You'll bring honor to us all  
  
A girl can bring her family  
  
Great honor in one way  
  
By striking a good match  
  
And this could be the day"  
  
The girls were soon forced to stop when they accidently pegged Sara with a handful of pop corn. They were made to pick it all up, grumbling as they had to crawl to get it all.  
  
"Men want girls with good taste  
  
Calm  
  
Obedient  
  
Who work fast-paced  
  
With good breeding  
  
And a tiny waist  
  
You'll bring honor to us all  
  
We all must serve our Emperor  
  
Who guards us from the Huns  
  
A man by bearing arms  
  
A girl by bearing sons.  
  
When we're through you can't fail  
  
Like a lotus blossom soft and palm  
  
How could any fellow say "No sale"  
  
You'll bring honor to us all."  
  
"Hey, what's so important about a matchmaker? Why did she get to choose whether they get married or not?"  
  
"Because that was her job! If she didn't like you, you either didn't get married, or married a dirty, ugly old man who smelled like cabbage. See! That's why they are praying.  
  
"Ancestors  
  
Hear my plea  
  
Help me not to make a fool of me  
  
And to not uproot my fam'ly tree  
  
Keep my father standing tall  
  
Scarier than the undertaker  
  
We are meeting our matchmaker  
  
Destiny  
  
Guard our girls  
  
And our future as it fast unfurls  
  
Please look kindly on these cultured pearls  
  
Each a perfect porcelain doll."  
  
"Ohhh. Will we have to go see a matchmaker one day?" Eli asked, a bit scared.  
  
"Nah, only way way back in ancient times." Una answered.  
  
"Oh. So, Sara did you have to do that?" Eli asked her innocently as Sara started choking on the last of her soda.  
  
Sara stared at the little girl as she wiped her mouth. "No, sweetie, I did not." She said in between clenched teeth. Eli shrugged and turned back to the TV.  
  
"She's a child." Ian reminded her quietly.  
  
"I know, don't worry. I won't kill your baby sat. But still..."  
  
"Do not worry, you look perfect." Sara immediately turned to look at him, but he had all ready directed his attention to the screen.  
  
"Hey, Auntie Sara," Una said suddenly. "Do you feel okay? You're cheeks look all red and pink like the blush stuff mommy puts on."  
  
"Please bring honor to us  
  
Please bring honor to us  
  
Please bring honor to us  
  
Please bring honor to us  
  
Please bring honor to us all." 


	24. Chapter TwentyFour

Eli: And I'm back!!! Thanks for all the reviews!! Now here's a chapter for all the SPIN-ers who have all been so patiently lurking in the corner! *evil gryn* Enjoy!!!!!  
  
As the movie continued, the girls started to get restless in between the songs. They had stopped singing after 'Reflection' and were just sitting around, bored. Una grabbed her back pack and started looking through it.  
  
She looked at all she had brought with her and kept shaking her head. "No. No. Nu uh. No. No...... Hm, Maybe. Eli?" The other little girl turned her head toward her. "I got bon bon's. Wanna play with them?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not good at putting them on." She told her.  
  
"Don't worry, neither am I." She told her as she brought out a little make up bag and opened the zipper.  
  
"What are bon bon's?" Sara asked them.  
  
"These." Una answered as she then dumped the contents of the make up bag out onto the table. About two dozen tiny bottles of nail polish were scattered all over the table. The girls scooted together and started putting all the bottles up right.  
  
Eli stopped to look at a neon green color that reminded her of frogs and those little cars she had seen people drive around. "Oh, pretty." She said quietly before she placed it back onto the table with the others.  
  
Una arranged all of her bon bon's in a line, putting them in order by how colors go on a rainbow. She also has nail polish remover and some cotton balls that she put on either end of the line. "There, now we can choose the colors we want."  
  
Eli immediately grabbed the neon green, and then also chose a dark forest green to go with it. Una picked Metallic purple and a light sky blue to put on her nails. Before they could start painting, Ian made them put napkins down over where they would paint just in case they spilled, which he knew would probably would happen.  
  
Both girls were right handed, so they both painted their left hands one color, intending on making their right hands the other color they chose. They had used the sky blue and forest green first. They blew on their nails, trying to make the process of the nail polish drying go quicker.  
  
"Oops!" Una said when she knocked the little canister of sky blue over, spilling some onto the napkins. When she picked it back up, she got nail polish onto her fingers, so she opened the bottle of nail polish remover and put some onto a cotton ball and wiped the nail polish off her hand, accidentally rubbing part of the nail polish on her nails off. She pouted and groaned.  
  
Eli tried to help her from rubbing her nail polish off by trying to get the nail polish off Una's fingers for her. But then she accidentally put her elbow down onto the little pool of nail polish that had been on the napkin. They both groaned as they got out even more remover. By the time they were clean again, most of the nail polish on their left hands had smeared or had been accidentally removed.  
  
Both girls were now very upset. Una looked over at he adults and pouted. "We can't do this. Auntie Sara, can you help us?"  
  
She winced. "Sorry, kiddo. I don't know how to use that stuff any better than you two." She told her.  
  
By now, the girls were ready to burst into full out water works. Eli was almost shaking form wanting to cry out of frustration. Ian had been watching them, hoping that it wouldn't come to this. He couldn't just let them cry. He sighed.  
  
He got off the couch and sat by the girls. "All right, which colors do you two want to get put on?" He asked them quietly.  
  
All three females looked at him confused. "Huh?" Sara mumbled out loud, trying to make sure she heard him right. He tried to keep the embarrassment level down, but was not succeeding. He repeated his sentence, just hoping that laughter would not follow.  
  
"Ian, YOU know how to paint nails?" Eli asked, all most in shock. He nodded. She looked at him curiously, and he couldn't tell what she was thinking. Then she smiled. "Cool!" she said happily.  
  
"Me first, me first!" Una said as she showed him the sky blue that she wanted put on.  
  
Sara watched as he put the girl's nail polish on for them. 'No way! Ian Nottingham, assassin, cryptic stalker, bodyguard for one of the richest men in the world, paints nails? Too funny, calm down! Oh, thank God I didn't laugh, cause that would have set off the girl's and he would never hear the end of it, and he's been too.... Well, just too nice to have to deal with that. The girl's are really taken with him. I think Una might have a crush... Damn, Danny will kill me for that if she blurts it out to him. Well, it's not like he won't all ready kill me for brining Una here, but if he could only see how this guy is with them.' She thought to herself as he finished up Una and started on Eli.  
  
Una blew on her nails hard to make them dry as fast as possible. When she was sure they were dry, she went over to Sara to show them off. "Auntie Sara, look look! He made them really pretty! Look look!" She said excitedly.  
  
Sara nodded. "Yes, very pretty."  
  
Eli did the same thing when Ian finished her nails as well. The girls were so happy to get their nails done that they were almost bouncing. Eli looked over at Sara. "Hey, Ian, why don't you paint Sara's nails? Make them look pretty, too!" She suggested as she tried to pull Sara down onto the floor.  
  
"I don't think so, half pint." She said as she resisted Eli pulling her down to the floor.  
  
"Oh, come on, Auntie Sara. It will look really pretty!" Una said encouragingly as she joined with Eli in trying to pull Sara off the couch. In the pulling, Eli accidentally came in contact with the bracelet on Sara's wrist. The witchblade quickly flashed and Eli let go.  
  
"Ow!" Eli cried out as she kissed her index finger. "Sara, I think your bracelet bit me." She said matter of factly as she stared at the eye of the witchblade.  
  
Sara glanced down at the bracelet, a confused and a bit scared as to why it had hurt the poor little one for simply coming in contact with it. The girls were getting scared, so she looked up and shook her head. "Nah, it didn't bite you, you just caught your finger on one of the rough edges." She explained to her. The girls only looked half convinced, so she changed the subject. "Hey, why don't you two pick out a color for me, and I'll get my nails painted too?"  
  
Una smiled and started looking through her bon bon's. Eli looked at her a little bit longer before she quietly nodded and started looking through the bon bon's as well.  
  
Sara sat down on the floor beside Ian. The girls handed him a deep, blood red color and he started to paint her nails. They then caught got the remote and rewound part of the movie so that they could watch it. They were too caught up in the movie to listen to the adults.  
  
"Why did it bite her?" Sara asked.  
  
"It is not fond of children, no matter how innocent. The witchblade believes in earning your right to live, and in its eye, children are yet to earn that right." He answered. "Joan of Arc acquired it as a child, and look what cruel tests and ordeals she had to go through because of it. I suggest you keep it out of the way of children." He explained. "There, your nails are done."  
  
"Thanks, you should try to answer me like that all the time." She told him before she got up and sat on the couch with the girls for the rest of the movie.  
  
-Later-  
  
The movie had ended and they had had the girls get ready for bed. They had protested at first, and had ran off to hide, but after ten minutes of hunting, Ian had caught then. He had then dragged them down to the guest bathroom, and despite the fact that they both knocked over tables and pictures on the way, got them to get ready for bed. Though they had kicked his ankles, he had been lucky enough not to be the one to deal with them taking a bath.  
  
When Sara herded them back into the living room, the girls were dressed in jammies, and she was dressed in wet clothing. He knew better than to laugh, though the image made him want to. The girls were frowning. "Ian, Sara says it's time for bed." Eli grumbled.  
  
He smirked. "Well, then I guess it is time for bed." He told her. Her jaw dropped before she scowled.  
  
"Not fair, you're double teaming us!" Una accused. The adults shrugged. The girls pouted even more and crossed their arms. "We're not going to bed! It's too early!" They said seriously. Ian walked over to them and stared down at them. Una trembled a little, but Eli stared back up with all the defiance of a teenager.  
  
"Are you both quite sure you will not go to bed by yourselves?" They nodded. He sighed, which he found he was doing more and more these days, and with motion that was too fast for their eyes to see, he picked them up and started carrying them up stairs to Eli's bed room. Eli was flung over his shoulder and Una was tucked next to his side. Eli was moaning very loudly as Una kept trying to bite Ian's arm. He shook his head. "What happened to the sweet little girls who were here earlier?" He asked them as he pushed the door open and tossed the two little hellions onto the bed.  
  
Eli stuck her tongue out at him. Sara shook her head. "I think if the demons are put to sleep now, we can see the better halves again in the morning. And hopefully, those little girls won't decide to make tidal waves in the middle of a bath, not that they'll have another chance to, not with me anyway." The girls giggled and smiled mischievously. "All right, half pints, you have had your fun. Now go to bed." She told them.  
  
Eli sighed. "Do we halfta?" She asked in a whine.  
  
"Yes." The answer was followed by whimpering. "No, none of that, go to bed."  
  
"But we don't have our stuffies!" Una complained. Eli nodded. "Yeah, we won't sleep without our pokemon." She announced. Just as she had shut her mouth, pikachu and squirttle were thrown at them. They looked over at Ian. "How did you do that?" She asked.  
  
He shrugged. She asked again five more times, and he finally said "If you go to sleep, I'll tell you in the morning." He offered. The girls looked at each other and leaned close to start to whisper. The words 'waterguns' and 'jello' could be heard, followed by some loud giggling. They turned back to the adults and smiled sweetly. "All right." They told them and obediently got under the covers.  
  
The adults eyed them suspiciously. "Okay, don't you wanna a story or anything?" Sara asked them. They shook their heads, and she lifted an eye brow at them in that very Sara-ish way that she does. Something was definitely up. Cautiously, they shut off the lights and closed the door.  
  
"Ssss, Una, are you awake?"  
  
"Uh huh, of course. I don't hear them any more, let's go!"  
  
Both girls kicked the covers off and went toward the door. Una got their face and turned the doorknob. "Eli, it's stuck!" She whispered.  
  
Eli shook her head. "No way, let me try." She whispered back as she pulled on the doorknob and groaned. "It's locked! How can it be locked....?" She said, very shocked. She thought for a moment and then frowned. "Ian...." She said out loud in a grrrrrrrr like voice. "I'm gonna change him into a rat!" Eli declared.  
  
"What?" Una asked her, confused. Eli shook her head. "Never mind." She told her. Una flicked on the ceiling lights. "So what are we gonna do all night?" She asked as she opened up the one pocket in her backpack that hadn't been opened yet. "Cause if we don't have nothin' to do, then all this soda we smuggled will go to waste."  
  
Eli nodded as she went over to her bag and pulled out a couple of bags of candy. "I know, all the candy, too." They looked around the room. They went into the little half bathroom that was connected to Eli's room to look fro another door, but there was none. They looked behind the pictures and tapestries on the walls and after a fit of sneezing, they gave up. They sat down on the edge of the bed, very upset and disappointed.  
  
Then, Eli noticed the cabinet that was against the wall opposite to them. They had looked behind it for a door, but had not checked inside it. Eli gave Una a boost and the little girl opened the two large cabinet doors, and they smiled. They had found a TV set complete with a remote control. They shut off the lights, put the candy and the soda near them, and turned on the TV. They flipped through the channels until they reached Nickelodeon. They lay on their stomachs under the covers as the credits to Space Cases finished up.  
  
Just then, the TV screen went dark and erie. "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" The TV screen asked them. "Uh huh!" They answered and hid under the covers. They scooted closer together and lifted the covers back up to munch on candy. They were regular watchers of this show, and they watched in anticipation to see who would tell tonight's story.  
  
"Uh oh...." Una said outloud. "It's Betty Ann again."  
  
"Oh no! I remember Tucker said she tells the scariest stories! Remember the one with the doll?" Eli asked her. Una nodded. "Well, maybe she won't tell a story like that tonight."  
  
The story that was told was about two kids that got lost with their baby sitter on the ride home from a carnival, and had to stop at a huge, scary mansion that had walls that whispered to them. Una and Eli were shaking from fear as the show went to a quick commercial.  
  
"Una?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Walls don't REALLY say things, right?" Eli asked.  
  
"Well, I'm not sure... I've never heard one talk" She answered.  
  
"Oh, okay." She said as she sipped her soda. The show soon came on again and they munched on reeses pieces as the kids were swarmed by a household full of ghosts.  
  
Una was about to ask Eli for some of her Twix when she was cut off by a loud moaning sound. "What was that?!" She asked Eli. "I don't know!! I've never heard it before!" The moaning was heard again, except louder. "That sounds like the lady ghost!"  
  
They shut the TV off and huddled together under the blankets. Then the moaning stopped. "What was that?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Eli answered.  
  
"Do you think it was a whispering wall ghost?" Una asked. Eli shrugged, when the moaning started up again, this time with banging noises along with it.  
  
"Yesssssssssssssss. Yessssssssssssssssssssss."  
  
The girls looked at each other wide eyed. "Oh my God, it's talking, it's talking!" Eli whispered in pure horror as they tried to make themselves part of the bed. "Please don't kill us wall whisperers! Please don't hurt us! Okay?!" Una asked it, trying not to cry.  
  
"Yesssssssssssssssss! Yessssssssssss! Iiiiiiaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnn!"  
  
The girls were scared speechless. Eli started crying as the noise stopped. "It... it... got 'em!" She whimpered out as she hid her face in her hands. "It.... got'em!" She didn't care if she soaked up the whole bed with water, because the whispering walls had taken Ian away, and she was truly upset. 'Dear God, please make the whispering walls give him back alive. I take back wanting to turn him into a rat! I promise I will be the best little girl ever, just don't let him be hurt or nothin'!'  
  
"Wait, Eli, listen!" Una whispered. They could hear adult voices! Not whispering walls, but adults voices. And not just any adults voices.....  
  
"They're okay! They must have beat up the whispering walls!" Eli said happily. She wiped her tears away with the palms of her hands. She pushed the covers off and turned the TV back on. "It's all okay now!"  
  
"Yeah!" Una agreed, though they did change the channel before the next story of Are you Afraid of the Dark could be heard.  
  
-Next Morning-  
  
Eli and Una woke up early. They had fallen asleep sometime in between Aladdin and The Little Mermaid the TV shows. They stretched their arms and legs and crawled out of the bed. Still in their froggy and powerpuff girl jammies (Eli in froggy, Una in powerpuff girl. Little girls know how to pack!) they tried to open the door again and found that it was still locked. They were about to scream for the adults when they noticed that they someone had slid the key underneath the door. They smiled and unlocked the door.  
  
They peeked into the hallway and didn't see anyone, so they left the room. They looked down the hall and glanced at each other extremely confused.  
  
"Why are there clothes on the hallway?" Una asked out loud.  
  
They slowly went down the hall, picking up and dropping various things of clothes. A black shirt, a white under tank, a belt....  
  
"What's this?" Eli asked as she picked up the black strappy thing that had what she thought were bowls attached to it. Una shrugged. "I'm not sure..."  
  
The little girl looked at it carefully, holding it this way and that. She connected the parts that connected and nodded. "Oh, I think it's a broken mickey mouse hat!" Eli announced as she put it on her head an tried to arrange it into a hat again. at some point, she found a way to make it stay in place. "See, a hat!" She announced, even though it was a bit lopsided.  
  
Una nodded. "I guess. Hey what's that sound?" She asked suddenly as a dull ringing could be heard, coming from some where on the ground. Eli picked up a long piece of clothing, that turned out to be a long pair of black pants, and dug into the pocket.  
  
"It's Ian's cell phone. I'm gonna answer it." She announced as she flipped it open and put it up to her ear. Una watched curiously as Eli smiled at the funny voice over the phone. "Hi Iron man!" 


	25. Chapter TwentyFive

Eli and Una were both close together, so that they could both hear what was said over the phone. "Who is this? Why do you have Ian's cell phone?" He asked. The voice sounded angry and bitter and made Una flinch back.  
  
"Ian's still sleeping. How are you, Iron man? How's my daddy?" Eli asked him innocently as she heard whispering going on on the other end, along with a lot of shuffling. "Iron man, you still here?" She asked, confused to why he wouldn't answer her questions.  
  
"Is this... Eliza?" He asked, confused.  
  
Una giggled at the name as Eli pouted. "It's Eli, not Eliza!" She corrected angrily. "So what you want Iron man? Is my daddy with you? Can I talk to him?" She asked quickly.  
  
"Your father....." He trailed off. The other line went silent for a long time. Una pounded the speaker to see if it was still working. They heard something like a person tripping over something, followed with loud noises in a language they didn't understand.  
  
"Hello?" Eli asked again. "Hellooooooooooooo? Should I hang up now?"  
  
"Eliza, can you put Ian on the phone?" He asked her quietly. Eli walked over to Ian's room and turned the doorknob. It was locked. 'Why did he lock the door? I wouldn't have hit him with the wand again.'  
  
"Ian?" Eli called out. She got no reply. She tilted her head and frowned. "He's not getting up. He must've not slept until morning because the whispering walls were after him." She told him. Eli glanced at Una, who motioned for Eli to hang up with an evil grin on her face. Eli smiled back. "I tell him to call you back later. Bye Iron man."  
  
"No, Eliza..." But Eli had all ready hung up.  
  
"So what do you wanna do?" Eli asked her.  
  
"Let's call a toy store and make them bring toys!" Una said happily. "I think I all ready know what to get." She told her. "But don't we have to pay?" She asked. Una smirked and held up a black wallet belonging to the stalker boy of the house. "We can pay."  
  
"Cool!" They started toward the kitchen to look up Toys 'R' Us when the cell phone rang again. "Hello?" Eli answered, annoyed that she couldn't start calling the toy store.  
  
"Eli?" The voice on the other end asked. The little girl smiled widely.  
  
"Gabriel! Hi! I asked Ian if you could come over to play the other day, but he said no, cause he was still being evil." She told him informingly. "But he's not anymore and he let Una sleep over. We're having so much fun!"  
  
"Nice to hear that, Eli. Um, why do you have Ian's cell phone? Are you hiding it from him?" He asked her.  
  
"Nu uh, I found it."  
  
"You found it?" He asked, clearly as confused as Irons was previously.  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"Don't you think you should give it back to him?"  
  
"I will, after me and Una call the toy store." She told him happily.  
  
"The Toy store, huh? How will you pay for everything?"  
  
"We found Ian's wallet, too." Una told the person in the phone that Eli knew, but she didn't.  
  
"Was that Una?"  
  
"Yup, she here too."  
  
"Hi Gabriel person. Aren't you Auntie Sara's friend?" Una asked him as she and Eli played tug of war for the phone.  
  
"Yeah, I am. Hey, can you guys let me talk to Ian or Sara? I'd really like to speak to them."  
  
Una pulled the phone away from Eli as hard as she could and won it over. "We can't find them. I think the whispering walls may have got them. There's stuff everywhere."  
  
"Got them?"  
  
"Yeah cause we can't find them." She looked over at Eli, who was suddenly quiet at the thought that the whispering walls has gotten the adults. Una covered the phone. "Eli, don't worry, they'll be okay." She whispered. Eli shrugged and leaned against the wall.  
  
"Uh oh, I made Eli upset." Una said into the phone. "I shouldn't have said that." There was quiet.  
  
On the other end of the phone, Gabriel's mind was racing to figure out what the girls meant. "So, okay, so no one is watching either of you right now?" He asked Una.  
  
"Uh huh." She answered. "Oh no, Eli, don't cry!" He heard her mumble off to the side. 'Geez, what the hell has happened over there? Whispering walls? No adults to be found? Sara didn't say she was going to spend the night over there... Did they get attacked? Is that what they heard? And the girls are there by themselves?' He thought to himself.  
  
"Una, listen closely. I'm gonna come over there, so answer the door for me, okay? And just stay in the hallway, don't go exploring, all right?" He told her.  
  
"Uh huh, okay. Eli, don't cry, they're all right. We'll answer the door. Bye." Una hung up the phone and went to tell Eli that Gabriel was coming, when the phone rang again. "Geez, Ian sure is popular." She said out loud before she answered the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Eliza? Listen-" Una cut him off.  
  
"Sorry, Iron man, she's crying right now." She told him.  
  
"Wait, who is-" He was cut off again, but not by Una. She pressed the phone against her ear. "Hey! You still there?" She got no answer. She looked down at the screen.  
  
"No.... Bat-ER-Ries. Oh, okay, broken." She tossed the cell phone aside and went to tell Eli, was sobbing into her hands, what was going on.  
  
-Later-  
  
Gabriel nervously knocked on the door of the huge mansion. The door opened slightly to reveal two small brown eyes looking up at him through the crack. "Are you one of the whisperings walls, or are you Gabriel?" She asked him quietly. He could hear sobbing in the back round.  
  
"I'm Gabriel." He told her. The door closed, and then opened a crack again. Another pair of brown eyes, watery, looked up at him. The girl nodded her head and opened the door.  
  
He saw Eli pouting with tears streaming down her face and Una holding onto both of the pokemon stuffies, biting her lip. He closed the door behind him and then kneeled down to their level. He made them come closer. "Now what happened?"  
  
"We were in Eli's room in the bed, watching 'Are You Afraid of the Dark', and it told us about the whispering walls, and then the house started waking up." Una told him. "We thought it was done because they go away in the morning and they didn't want us. They wanted Ian."  
  
Eli nodded as Una talked. "We... We thought they were okay. Because we heard them whispering... but we can't find them, and Eli won't stop crying." Una told him as she snuggled the stuffies.  
  
He nodded and looked at Eli. "You been crying this whole time?" She didn't answer, but leaned against Una a little. That's when he finally noticed that she had something wrapped around her head. He pulled the side of it and it came off her head and his mouth dropped to the ground when it fully unfolded and was recognizable.  
  
He dropped the black piece of under garment to the ground like it was on fire. "Um, what did the whisperings walls sound like?" He asked curiously.  
  
Una thought for a moment. "Well, it kinda sounded like a lady, and it sounded like she had been running a lot, and she told us 'yes', and then she went to get Ian."  
  
His eyes narrowed. "How do you know it went after him?" He asked.  
  
"It.... It c-called out his name." Eli answered in between sobbing.  
  
Una patted her back. "We found their clothes in the hallway." She said quietly.  
  
Everything finally fell into place in his mind. He shook his head and had to bite back laughter to not make them feel worse. 'Oh my God, they have traumatized these kids for life.' He thought to himself.  
  
"Hey, don't cry. Don't be upset. I think I know where they have gone." He told them. They both looked at him.  
  
"Really?" Eli asked.  
  
He nodded. "Yeah, they'll be back, I promise. Until then, why don't we go into the kitchen and eat something? I don't think you two have had breakfast." He told them.  
  
They nodded and started for the kitchen, Gabriel behind them. He glanced back at the lone garment that had been tossed on the ground and smirked. 'Someone has some explaining to do.'  
  
The girls lead Gabriel down the hallway into the kitchen. They told them all about their fun day yesterday, not leaving out that they had played powerpuff girls or that they had caught Ian and Sara playing tonsil hockey, making them all start laughing until they cried. Gabriel kept all the new information stored in his head to later use as black mail.  
  
Una was standing on the counter looking through all the cereals and frowned. "Hey, how come he doesn't have any Lucky Charms?" She asked.  
  
Eli shrugged. "Sorry, Una. Me and Ian ate it all. We're gonna have to eat somethin' else." She told her as she got the bowls and spoons and carefully laid them out on the counter. As Una searched for another cereal, Gabriel raided the fridge and stopped when he stumbled across a U.F.O (Unidentified food object). He pulled it out and sniffed it before backing away.  
  
"Do either of you know what that is?" He asked them as he attempted to erase the putrid smell from his memory. Eli came over and looked at it.  
  
Her mouth opened and smiled. "So that's where the lunch we made yesterday ended up!" She said happily. "We couldn't find it after dinner. It's really good. You wanna try some?" She asked him.  
  
He stopped himself from flinching away and fake smiled. "Maybe after breakfast." He told her sweetly as he closed the fridge and went over to pick out a box of cereal. Eli and Una had bowls of Cocoa Pebbles as Gabriel pretty much devoured a whole box of Cheerio's.  
  
When they were done, they put the dishes in the sink. Gabriel was about to put the boxes of cereal away when Eli pulled on his shirt and stopped them. "Hey, what about Ian and Sara? Shouldn't we leave stuff out for them?" She asked.  
  
He bit back a laugh. 'Yeah, if they make it out of that bedroom any time this century.' He suddenly felt very humorously evil and turned to the girls. "Hey, do you guys want to do something nice for Ian and Sara?" He asked them.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Yeah." The girls said.  
  
"Then how about you bring them some breakfast?" He suggested.  
  
Eli frowned. "But we don't know where they are." She told him. He thought a second. "Did you try his bedroom?"  
  
"It was locked." Una replied.  
  
He grinned. "Then I think I know where they are." He handed them two bowls and spoons and a box of cereal. "Now, why don't you guys show me where his bedroom is and we can surprise them with breakfast." The girls looked at each other, shrugged, and slowly led the way back up stairs. When they reached the hallway, Gabriel stopped and looked around. They were surrounded by male, black clothing, a pair of jeans, and a shirt he recognized to belong to a certain wielder of the witchblade.  
  
The girls tried to open the door again, but found it to still be locked. They looked at Gabriel, about to complain that they still didn't know where the other adults were, when he walked up and started knocking on the door. "Hey, rise and shine!" He called out to the pair in the room.  
  
He heard some stirring and smirked. "C'mon, I know you guys have had a 'busy' night, but it's time to get up. Don't want those monsters the girls heard moaning last night to get you while you sleep, do you?" He asked them as he swore he heard both adults curse. Someone got out of the bed and started toward the door. He backed up a little as the girls looked on, confused.  
  
The door opened and Sara peeked out. She was wearing a black shirt that obviously didn't belong to her. She spotted Gabriel first and glared daggers. Before she could say something to him, the girls came forward. "Sara! That's where you have been! Is Ian in there, too?" Eli asked excitedly, cereal box in her arms. She tried to go past Sara into the bedroom, but Sara blocked the way.  
  
She smiled down at the girls. "Yeah, he is. Did you guys come to give us breakfast?" She asked as sweetly as she could muster. They nodded.  
  
"Yeah, Auntie Sara. Gabriel asked us if we wanted to do something nice for you guys and we said yes and he told us this would be a nice thing." Una explained as she and Eli showed her the bowls and spoons and cereal and milk they had brought with them.  
  
"Oh, did he?" She said quietly as she glanced at Gabriel, who just shrugged his shoulders innocently. She almost hissed at him.  
  
"Yeah, he did." Eli said. "Sara, are you and Ian all right?" She asked nervously as she tried not to drop the milk and cereal.  
  
Sara looked down at her curiously. "Yeah, we're fine. Why?" She asked the little girl.  
  
Eli felt very relieved. "Good. Cause me and Una heard the whispering walls scream and call for Ian and we got real scared." She told her.  
  
"Yeah, it was a real 'banging' night, apparently." Gabriel added mischievously.  
  
Sara managed to hold back the urge to go and strangle him to death right then and there and put on her best nice face for the girls. "Oh, I'm sorry you guys got scared. But you don't need to worry, there's no such things as whispering walls." She told them.  
  
"But Auntie Sara, where did all the noise come from?" Una asked. The girls looked at her confused.  
  
"Um..." Sara's mind raced for an answer. "It......... It was a horror movie!" She blurted out. "Yeah, a horror movie, and you heard the monster call out for the people in the movie." She explained. "And the people in the movie happened to have our names."  
  
"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh." The girls said together.  
  
"We must have put the sound on too loud and you guys heard the movie. I'm so sorry." Sara told them.  
  
"It's okay, Sara. But the monster in the movie sure did want Ian." Eli said seriously.  
  
"And the people in it sure did scream a lot!" Una stated, just as serious.  
  
Gabriel was biting his lip trying not to break out laughing. He wanted to crack up so badly that he was shaking. He felt like he would burst from the inside from keeping in the laughter. Sara took the breakfast supplies from the girls and smiled. "This was really nice of you girls. Now, why don't you two go and get dressed now?" She asked them.  
  
"Okay." The replied as they went down the hall to Eli's room. As soon as they had closed the door behind them, Gabriel started laughing out loud. Sara shook her head as he started crying form laughing so hard. She turned around and placed the items on the shelf near the door and turned back to him, hands on her hips. He looked at her and tried to quiet himself down, but failed.  
  
"You are really lucky it's me who came to the door." Sara told him seriously. "What the hell are you doing here?" She asked.  
  
"The girls..... the-they called me..... Said they couldn't find you two...." He managed to say in between laughter. She glared at him and he was finally able to stop laughing. "So..... From what I have heard, I take you had a good night?" He asked her as he started laughing all over again.  
  
She shook her head. "I am going to skin you alive, Gabriel Bowman. Slowly. With my nails." She threatened him. "Now, go watch the girls, and maybe I won't let him break every bone in your body." She said angrily before she slammed the door in his face. He pulled himself together and went down the hall to try and gain back the right to walk without the use of a wheel chair. 


	26. Chapter TwentySix

Eli: Hey all! LOL, yes THAT was the whispering walls. Have a Happy Easter, everybody!! Here's the next part. Enjoy!  
  
Gabriel went down the hall to the room he saw the girls go into and opened the door. He had only opened it a little when...  
  
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Shut the door, we changin!!!" They screamed at him before he could see them. He shut the door again and let go of the handle as if it was fire. He heard the girls grumbling at him quietly through the door, hearing 'stupid boy!' and 'cooties' more than once.  
  
Finally, the door cracked opened and Eli peeked out at him. "You're bad. You didn't knock." She told him seriously.  
  
He winced at the scolding little voice. "Yeah, sorry."  
  
"You should be punished!" Una yelled from where ever she was in the room. Eli turned around and told her to shush. Una mumbled something in Cantonese that made Gabriel take a step back. 'Whoa, now there's a sentence you don't want to hear from the mouth of babes, another language or not.' He thought to himself as Eli looked back up at him.  
  
"I'm really, really, really sorry. You gonna let me in?" He asked her.  
  
Eli thought for a moment, and then shook her head. "Nu uh." She answered as she smirked. "I think Una is right. You need to be punished." She told him seriously.  
  
He looked at her in disbelief. "What? No way. It was an accident! And I already apologized." He argued back.  
  
"But you should prove that you are sorry!" Una called from inside the room. Eli made a face at the scream. "She's really angry." She whispered to him. "I'll make sure it isn't that bad. Just please make her calm down." She asked him.  
  
He rolled his eyes and sighed. "Sure fine." He told her as he shook his head. 'Whatever. This won't be bad. They're total angels. Besides, they're six, what could they do to me?' He thought to himself as Eli opened the door and let him in, slamming it shut behind him.  
  
-Later-  
  
Ian walked down the hallway collecting the previously discarded clothes. He shook his head, but keeping keep back the grin. The one night he couldn't be patient was the night he was suppose to be watching over two young girls. Sara had told him they had heard stuff, and even though she had covered it up, he still felt guilty over it. The only thing that could have been worse would have been a viewing. He guessed that locking their door to keep them from wandering the mansion that night had had another use.  
  
After returning to his room and returning Sara her clothes, (Well, at least what he could find of them. For some reason or other, he could not locate one of her under garments and had no idea where it had gone.) he walked down to the girls room to see what was going on. Through the door, he could hear Gabriel reading the girls a story.  
  
He didn't wish to interrupt and draw Gabriel's attention to him. (Especially after hearing Sara's ranting about what he had done/said.) So, as silently as he could, he opened the door and looked inside, hoping they wouldn't notice....  
  
And then, he just about had a heart attack!  
  
"Now, the lucky youth soon reached home, and his dear bride was very glad when she saw him return and heard how well everything had gone with him. He brought the King what he had desired- The three golden hairs from the head of the giant.  
  
And when the King saw the four asses-"  
  
"Ohhhhh! You said a bad word!" The girl's accused hotly.  
  
"No, this one means donkeys and not the bad word meaning. Can I go on now?" He asked them impatiently. They nodded their heads. "And when the King saw the four asses laden with gold he was quite pleased and said, "Now are all the conditions fulfilled and you may have my daughter. But tell me, dear son-in-law, whence comes all this gold?"  
  
"What's 'whence' mean?" Eli asked.  
  
"Whence means where did or from where." He explained.  
  
"Ohhhh. So he was asking where he got the treasure from?"  
  
"Uh huh. "I was rowed over a river," he answered, "and I picked it up there, where it lies on the shore like sand." "Can I fetch some as well?" asked the king greedily. "As much as you like," said he. "There is a ferryman who will row you across, and then you can fill your sacks on the other side."  
  
The greedy King set out in great haste upon his journey, and when he came to the river he beckoned to the ferryman to take him across. The man came and told him to step into the boat, and just as they reached the other shore, he put the oar into the king's hand and sprang on shore. Henceforth, for his sins the King had to row back and forth forever. And perhaps he still is ferrying, for no one has yet taken the oar from him. The end." Gabriel closed the book.  
  
Clapping could be heard from the door. The three of them turned their heads and saw watching them. He was trying very hard to keep his composure. He looked right at Gabriel and said, "Very..... Interesting." He said quietly.  
  
Gabriel wanted to bash his head into a wall. It would have preferred that to this. The girls 'punishment' had been to don the blonde wig and the long pink strapless (they had stuffed the chest with one of Eli's shirts.) dress that had found in one of the wardrobes that they affectionately called 'the princess dress'. The look was completed with a silver crown and the tiny, TINY bit of glitter nail polish that the girls had insisted on putting on him.  
  
The deal had been after he read them the story, he could take all the stuff off. He had been speed reading the best he could, and thought he had gotten away with the get up when he finished. But now he had the assassin standing in the door way, laughing at him. 'This couldn't get any worst.' He thought to himself.  
  
Then Sara walked up beside Ian.  
  
"Hey, what's going o-" Her mouth dropped as she blinked numerous times, trying to get her vision straight. "Oh my God!" She said before she burst out into laughter, much harder than he had earlier. With Sara gone, Ian couldn't keep it in anymore and started laughing with her. Gabriel glared at them.  
  
"Oh come on!" He said to them as he threw off the damn wig and shrugged out of the dress. The girls helped him out of it and laid it out on the bed carefully. He looked over at the two laughing adults. "All right, ha ha ha, cut it out all ready." He told them.  
  
They nodded and started calming down. He stood there, arms over chest, glaring at them until they slowly came to a stop. Sara wiped the tears from her eyes and shook her head. "I'm not sure I want to know..."  
  
"Good." He told her as he wiped at some of his now messed up hair. "Don't want to say."  
  
Sara stared at him. "Is that.... Glitter?" She asked. He remembered the nail polish and shoved his hands into his pocket as Sara started cracking up all over again.  
  
The girls frowned. "What? He looked really pretty!" Eli said defensively. Sara laughed harder and had to lean against the door frame for support before she started rolling on the floor with laughter.  
  
The girls, oblivious to why it was so funny, since they saw it as torture, looked at them as if they were insane. "Um, can we hear another story?" Una asked.  
  
Sara was laughing too hard to do any reading, and Gabriel was too pissed to be trusted to read to little girls. And so the task of reading was left to Ian. He picked up the fairy tale book and started reading one of the stories as Gabriel went up to Sara. He shook his head.  
  
"If you couldn't kick my ass and we weren't around six year olds, I'd be calling you something that starts with a 'b' and rhymes with 'itch'." He told her quietly.  
  
She had stopped laughing by now and tilted her head. "Consider it as payback." She told him.  
  
"That reminds me," He said with a smirk as he glanced over at Ian. "Now, about those horror movies..." He started.  
  
She glared warningly. "Curiosity killed the cat."  
  
"But satisfaction brought him back. Come one."  
  
She shook her head. "You're almost as bad as Vicky. Anyway, I would think I should be the one asking questions..."  
  
He hissed. "I don't ask or tell, you don't ask or tell?" He asked as he offered his hand.  
  
She nodded and shook his hand in agreement. "Deal."  
  
-Later-  
  
After the girls had gotten a story, they had to go downstairs and clean up their stuff. They grumbled the entire way down, and were still grumbling as they put all the pillows, bon bons, and pokemon away. As Una tried to jam her monkey back into the side pocket of her backpack, Eli picked up all the left over pop corn and threw it with the rest of the day old pop corn.  
  
She pulled up the table cloth of one of the side tables and moaned. "Why's there so much pop corn here?" Eli asked out loud.  
  
Una stopped struggling with the monkey and looked over. "Don't you remember?" She asked Eli. The other little girl shook her head. Una sighed and put her hand on her hips. "That was the super big ultra secret secret hiding stash!" She explained, exasperated.  
  
Eli thought for a moment before she started nodding. "Oh yeah! We were saving it for when..." She looked around to make sure that the adults hadn't decided to come from the kitchen and check on them. "For when the adults went to sleep? So that we could stuff it in their shoes?" She whispered. Una smiled and nodded.  
  
She smiled too, until she looked back at their secret stash. "Now it all wasted." She said sadly as she gathered it all in her pockets and then using her shirt to act as a pocket. She dumped the left over pop corn back into the bowl.  
  
As she was doing that, Una had gone over on the other side of the room. "Uh oh..." She said to herself. Something made of glass had broken. 'Didn't this happen during the poke battle? Bad squirttle, he's gonna have to sit in the corner with Mikey when I get home!' She thought to herself.  
  
After the pop corn was put away, Eli looked around the room. 'I hope this is clean enough, cause we did a lot of cleaning. I'm glad my room isn't this big, or else Daddy would...'  
  
SNAP! SNAP! SNAP!  
  
The little girl turned her head to stare at the other little girl. Eli tilted her head. "Una, what ya doin'?" She asked, confused. Una didn't reply as she kept snapping her fingers. As Eli crept closer to her, she heard that Una was trying to sing something.  
  
"Just a spoonful of.... Honey? No, uh... Sugar! Just a spoonful of sugar makes the cough syrup stuff go dowwwwwwwwnnnnnn. The cough syrup stuff go down! Just a spoonful of sugar makes the cough syrup stuff go down..... In the most happy, smiley way!" She sang out loud ( Only a little off tune) as she tried to continuously make the snap sound with her fingers.  
  
Eli tapped her shoulder to get her attention. "Una, what are you doing?" She asked again.  
  
"Well, I saw this old movie once, and the lady in it sang this song, and whenever the kids snapped their fingers, everything made itself clean! It was really cool! I wanna see if I could do it." She explained as she snapped her fingers.  
  
Eli's winced. "Una, I don't think it's working." She said quietly, trying not to sound mean. Una put her arm down and rubbed her shoulder. "Yeah, I think you're right." Una agreed. "Guess we just gotta pick it up. I don't want the adults to get mad. Where are we suppose to put the pieces?" She asked. The girls looked around and spotted an old pot by the closest window.  
  
"How bout there? The adults won't know." Una suggested. Eli agreed, not wanting to get scolded again. They carefully began to pick up the shattered pieces and place them into the pot. Just as they finished, Gabriel walked into the room.  
  
"You two cleaning and being good?" He asked as he walked in. Una took a few steps away from the scene of the crime and put her hands behind her back. Eli tossed the last piece of glass into the pot and stood in front of the pot trying to look innocent.  
  
"Yes." They both answered. He looked at them suspiciously. "Uh huh, sure." He told them as he looked around. "Looks like you guys really cleaned up." He added as he spotted the pop corn on the table. "How old is the pop corn?"  
  
"We made it yesterday." Eli told him as she spotted a piece of glass they had forgotten laying less than a foot from her.  
  
"Oh, then it's still good." He reached for the bowl. Una and Eli muffled their laughter as he ate a handful of it and instantly started spitting it out. Eli used the moment to go and pick up the stray piece of glass and toss it into the pot. She cut her finger as she did and pouted as a thin line of blood appeared on the inside of her middle finger.  
  
Meanwhile, Gabriel put the bowl down. "That was nasty. What the hel... Heck did you guys do to that pop corn?" He asked. Eli winced. "It was on the floor. We put it back in there to throw out later." She told him. He took a step away from the pop corn.  
  
"Why didn't you two tell me that before?" He asked them. They looked at each other and shrugged.  
  
Eli pouted even more. "We're sorry, don't be mad." She said pitifully, on the edge of tears. The mix of cutting her finger and facing something mad at her was a bit too much for her to stand.  
  
Gabriel bit back a scolding when he saw that some serious water works was coming upon them. "Hey, hey, hey, none of that. Its alright, I swear. It's fine." He told her as he walked over to her and kneeled down to her level. "Hey, what's wrong?"  
  
She bit her lip as she showed him her finger. "It hurts."  
  
He lifted her little hand up with his own and looked at the cut. "Oh, it's not that bad. You don't need to cry." He told her. She didn't look convinced, so he lifted her finger and very lightly kissed it, careful not to get the blood part. "There, feel better?"  
  
Eli bit her lip even more and nodded. Una flinched back, disgusted. "EWL!!! That's so gross!! Now she's gonna have cooties!! EWL!!! We need hot water, we need disinfectant, we need some iodine!" She shouted. Gabriel just looked over at her and laughed as Sara popped her head in.  
  
"What is going on here?" She asked.  
  
"Nuthin'." The little girls answered innocently.  
  
-Later-  
  
Una had all her stuff packed and ready to go. She and Eli were trying to talk the adults into letting Una stay longer, but they weren't listening.  
  
"Please Aunt Sara, just another hour?" Una asked sweetly. Sara shook her head. "Sorry half pint, but your parents are gonna want you back in less than an hour. Maybe next time." She told her as she had Una shrug on her back pack and handed her squirttle. "Alright, you're all ready. Let's go."  
  
Una shook her head. "Not yet, Aunt Sara. Squirttle says he needs to say good bye to pikachu." She said serously. Sara sighed. "Fine. Eli, go run and get pikachu, and hurry it up cause I have to get Una home." Sara told the other little girl. Eli took off toward the stairs.  
  
"Watch where you are going so you don't trip." Ian called after her. Sara looked at him amused. He shrugged. "I do not think she needs to break anymore furniture."  
  
Gabriel took this time to sneak out. "Alright, I gotta go too. See ya guys." He said as he opened the front door. He turned back and eyed the happy couple with humor. "Oh and Sara?" She turned her head. "Yeah?"  
  
"You dropped this." He said, smirking as he waved her bra in front of her. Her jaw dropped as he tossed it to her and abruptly closed the door behind him as he took off.  
  
Sara was angry she couldn't speak for a minute or two. When she got her composure back, she stuck her undergarment into her pocket. "He's a dead man." She said out loud.  
  
After the girls had said good bye to each other, and the pokemon had given each other poke kisses and hugs, and the adults did their good byes that made the girls go "Gross!!", Sara and Una finally left the mansion. Eli and Ian watched them leave until they couldn't see them anymore.  
  
Ian locked the door as Eli hummed to herself in the hallway. "That was a very good visit. Did you have fun?" He asked her. She nodded. "Did you?"  
  
He nodded as well. "Very much." He answered.  
  
"Cool!" Eli replied. "Oh, Ian?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You need to put more energy into your cell phone." She told him seriously.  
  
He eyed her suspiciously. "And how would you know?" He asked.  
  
"Cause Iron man called your cell phone while you were asleep. When me and Una answered it, it went out. So, you need to put more energy into your cell phone." She said seriously as his jaw dropped.  
  
She tilted her head and stared at him. "Ian are you trying to catch flies, cause I don't think it is working."  
  
TBC 


	27. Chapter TwentySeven

Eli: Hey everyone!! Thanks for all the reviews!!! Not a lot of laughter in this one, but bear with me... Enjoy!  
  
This wasn't good.  
  
Eli was sitting in one of the great big chairs in the library, not saying a word since she had promised Ian cross her heart that she would be quiet while he worked. She scooted as far back in the chair as she could. She didn't like how her feet couldn't touch the floor in this thing. Nor did she like the color of it.  
  
She didn't really like anything in this room.  
  
It was too cold, too quiet. There was a big fireplace that looked scary because the insides seem to be completely black and she thought it was starting to spread inside the room. She put her knees up to her chest as she tried hard not to look at it.  
  
She glanced over at Ian and bit her lip. He was VERY upset. It seemed as if he had made a million phone calls since he had lead her here. She couldn't hear much, but she knew he was looking for Iron man and couldn't find him. She looked away and put her head down on her knees.  
  
This definitely wasn't good.  
  
Meanwhile, Ian had actually only gone through a dozen numbers, each one a failed attempt in trying to locate Irons. The search was beginning to get frustrating, and his thoughts were going by a mile a minute as to what had been happening with Mr. Irons and Mr. Carver.  
  
He flipped through the small phone book which listed all of Irons' personal numbers. Some he knew, some he had not until now. He had no clue from where Irons had been calling from. Neither did his cell phone for that matter, since when he checked, the number simply read as 'private' (Thankfully, he knew that quite a few of Kenny's phone had been tweaked and that they put out the same thing as this). So, he had to turn to this. The last number he had tried led straight to an disconnected phone line. He hung up the phone, avoiding the urge to throw the damn thing into the wall before he had to try the next number.  
  
An hour went by like this. He was fast approaching the end of the book, and he didn't know what he could do if none of the numbers turned out to be correct. Wistfully, he dialed in the next number and got ready to hang it up again if it turned out to be another number that was now disconnected.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Sir."  
  
"Ian? Why have I not been able to contact you? Why did Eliza pick up your phone? Who was the other little girl present? Who else is in my mansion? What is going on?" He ranted out breathlessly. Ian's mind thought fast before he answered.  
  
"I apologize, Sir, for not answering. I was not where she thought I was and did not learn of your call until much later. She found the phone in my jacket pocket as she was going through my things, which she was told not to do. There was and has not been any other little girl present here, though that Bowman boy did come by to drop off a few weapons that were previously ordered. But everything is as it should be." He lied quickly, one lie mixing with another, hopefully said well enough to fool him.  
  
Silence on the other end briefly. "Well, at least something has been going on as it should." Irons said quietly, a bit annoyed.  
  
"If I may ask a few questions, Sir.....?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Where are you?"  
  
"Currently flying over the Atlantic Ocean." He answered.  
  
"Is Mr. Carver present?"  
  
"No, he is not."  
  
His eyes narrowed. He wanted very much to see this man who would hurt his own child so brutally, as well as to answer some of the questions the little girl had unintentionally brought up. "Then where is he?" He asked quietly, trying to calm down.  
  
Another long silence. "Mr. Carver is.... No longer a part of this world."  
  
Ian came close to dropping the phone. Had he heard right? "Excuse me, sir?" He croaked out.  
  
"The man is deceased." He stated coldly. "I am limited for time, Nottingham. If you have anymore questions, ask them now." Irons told him, now very annoyed.  
  
There were too many to ask at once. He looked around and saw Eli, fast asleep where she sat. "What do you want done with the girl?" He asked quietly as he watched her shift onto her side a bit.  
  
"She will be staying at the mansion for now." He answered. Ian let go of the breath he didn't know he was keeping. "Listen, a woman will be arriving at the mansion in less than an hour. Her name is Katherine Sidle. She is a doctor and has orders to run tests on young miss Carver. When she comes, take her to the medical lab below. She knows what her job is. As for the girl, do not yet inform her of her father's departure. I should be back at the mansion before the day is through, and the new hired staff will be there with me. I trust you understand what to do?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Good." And he hung up.  
  
Ian placed the phone down lightly as he walked over and looked down at the little figure. She had shifted enough to be hanging half over the arm. He shook his head sadly. 'Six years old, and all this...' His thoughts trailed off as Eli kicked in her sleep and pushed herself up enough to start tumbling over the arm of the chair.  
  
Like lightning, he caught her before she hit the ground and very gently placed her back on the couch. Despite his carefulness, Eli opened her eyes and yawned. She looked up at Ian and half smiled. "Hi. Did you talk to Iron man?" She asked him curiously.  
  
"Yes, I did."  
  
"What did he say? Is my Daddy with him? Lily too?" She asked anxiously.  
  
He tried not to wince as he had to lie once again. "Mr. Irons is returning, but your father and step mother had other things to do before they come to get you. But, they did arrange for a doctor to come and make sure you are okay. The doctor is going to come in a short while to visit you today." He informed her, all the information nice and clean.  
  
She nodded. "Okay. I'm hungry. Can I have a peanut butter sandwich, please?"  
  
"Yes, you may." She smiled cheerfully and they started for the kitchen. He walked behind her as she skipped the whole way there, humming some high pitched song. The little girl was oblivious to all that was going on around her. He just shook his head again, trying to get his thoughts back in order as he tried to figure out what was going on and how best to deal with it.  
  
-Later-  
  
Catherine Sidle was a young, thin woman with grey eyes behind thin glasses and auburn hair. Her face was long and serious, and when she came to the door, Ian had to ignore the instinct to kick her out. Eli was staring up at her fearfully as she tried to keep her distance, not wanting to know what could be in the black bag the woman carried.  
  
The walk to the lower levels of the basement was silent. The little girl tried to keep her eyes in front of her so that they wouldn't wander to all the dark corners or spider webs or Lord knows what else was down here. It felt like they had been walking forever until they reached a metal door at the base of one of the stair cases. Ian punched in a code and it opened up for them.  
  
The room was, like the rest of the basement, dark and creepy. Catherine directed Eli to get up onto one of the tables lined up against the wall. She glanced at Ian, trying to see if she could get out of it. No such luck. He motioned for her to go. She took her time walking up to the large table, flinching back when she caught sight of a machine that had too many sharp objects connected to it. She climbed up onto the table and sat down with her legs hanging over it.  
  
That's when Catherine turned to Ian. "Mr. Irons said to direct you to leave during her examination." She said coldly. Eli whimpered from where she sat as she shook her head. 'No, don't leave me alone with her!' She thought to herself.  
  
"Why?" He asked her inquiringly as his eyes narrowed. Her eyes narrowed back, she was not a woman to try and intimidate.  
  
"Does it matter? He ordered it." She said simply.  
  
He tried not to glare at her as he turned to go into an adjoining room until it was over. He glanced at the little girl one last time, heart breaking over how scared she seemed. When he was far enough away, Catherine pulled out a curtain around her work area.  
  
For two hours, Ian had nothing better to do than to wait for Dr. Sidle to finish. He heard slight chatter and the moving of something on wheels, but that was it. It had felt like two millenniums before Catherine opened the door and beckoned him to come back in.  
  
The curtain was still around the area Eli was, and the doctor showed no signs of opening it any time soon. She faced him, looking even more stern and cold than she had hours ago. "What has happened to this little girl?" She asked him sharply.  
  
"What do you mean?" He asked back.  
  
Catherine seemed to boil as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Why does a six year old have lash marks on her back, bruises on her shoulders, evidence of numerous past injuries, a broken hymen, and has marks of previous vaginal tearing?" She hissed at him accusingly. He was rendered speechless as it took a minute to process all of the information.  
  
His eyes went wide and he shook his head. "No, it has to be a mistake."  
  
She laughed bitterly. "Oh, really?" She went over and picked up her clipboard and handed it to him. "See for yourself."  
  
He stared at the pictures in horror. His fists clenched and his mouth flattened out to a thin line. He was so angry he could barely see straight. He shoved the clip board back into Catherine's hands as he temporarily left the room, slamming the door hard behind him.  
  
-Minutes Later-  
  
His return was much quieter than his exit. Catherine looked up from her chair as he went over to the curtain and peeked inside. He turned to her.  
  
"Why is she asleep?" He asked, left over anger and anxiety just tracing his voice.  
  
Catherine pushed her glasses up. "She needed alot of medical attention. Some of which I know would be frightening to see or feel. She'll only be out for a few hours." She told him softly.  
  
He glanced at her again before he moved and stood by the wall. There was a brief silence before the doctor finally spoke up.  
  
"Since you are obviously not the one who has done this to her, perhaps you can tell me who did, if you know." She said quietly.  
  
"I have an idea." He answered. He didn't like this subject, but knew it would be the topic of conversation for a while.  
  
"I asked her about it. She remembers how she got the scars on her back, but she doesn't remember how things got... Rearranged in her girlie parts." She said lightly. He was still too much on edge to bother. "It's a possibility that she could have been drugged during the experience, making her unable to remember."  
  
He didn't reply to any of her comments. Catherine stopped talking and their was silence once again.  
  
"She screams in her sleep." He said, not looking at her, but staring at the curtain in front of him. "I thought it was the beatings." Pause. "She is frightened of men, too. At least until she gets used to them."  
  
"That's a sign of-" He cut her off.  
  
"I know." Pause. "Do you have anymore business here?"  
  
Catherine shook her head. "I'm done." She picked up her bag and handed him an envelope. "This is for Mr. Irons." She told him. He nodded and put it in his pocket.  
  
"I'll lead you out in a moment." He told her as he went and pushed back the curtain. She watched as he came up to the small girl and looked her over, still not quite trusting the doctor. He then very carefully lifted her up and carried her over to the door as he and Catherine went back upstairs. 


End file.
